Coastal Lawn Care: Tips for Maintaining a Lush Lawn by the Sea

Related: Keep a Green Lawn in Summer

Water Wisely in Windy, Salty Conditions

Coastal lawns can dry out quickly thanks to sandy soil and ocean breezes. However, overwatering leads to fungus, especially in humid areas. So what’s the solution?

Watering tips for coastal lawns:

• Water deeply, but less frequently (2–3 times per week during dry spells).
  

• Aim for early morning watering to reduce disease risk.
  

• Use a soil probe to check moisture levels below the surface.

If your grass looks stressed despite regular watering, the salty buildup could be affecting your root zone. Consider flushing with clean water every few weeks to leach excess salts. To combat salt buildup, consider using a specialized product designed to remove excess sodium and improve soil structure.

Recommended Product: Na-X 5-0-0 Soil Salt Flush

Na-X 5-0-0 Soil Salt Flush is formulated to reduce excess sodium levels in the soil, enhance water infiltration, and promote healthier root growth. It's particularly beneficial for lawns affected by salt spray or areas where road salt has accumulated over winter.

Key benefits:

• Flushes salt from the lawn to speed up grass recovery.
  

• Improves soil structure and prevents sodium buildup.
  

• Suitable for all grass types.
  

• Enhances water infiltration and soil aeration.

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Keep Fungal Diseases in Check

Coastal humidity creates a playground for turf diseases like dollar spot, brown patch, and Pythium blight. If you're seeing mysterious patches, discoloration, or thinning, it might not be a fertilizer issue — it could be fungus knocking on your beachfront door.

Lawn care tips for fungal disease prevention:

• Mow regularly with sharp blades. Dull blades tear the grass, creating open wounds that invite disease. Keep them sharp for a clean-cut and healthier turf.

• Water early in the morning. This gives the grass time to dry before nightfall, reducing the conditions fungus loves — prolonged leaf wetness.

• Improve airflow. Trim overgrown shrubs, trees, and dense landscaping around your lawn to increase air circulation and help moisture evaporate faster.

• Bag clippings during an active outbreak. While mulching is normally great, bagging infected clippings can prevent the spread of spores throughout your lawn.

• Test your soil regularly. Imbalanced pH or nutrient deficiencies can weaken your turf’s natural defenses. Consider a home soil test kit to stay on top of your lawn's needs.

Knock Out Active Fungus with the Right Products

We carry a range of professional-grade fungicides that are safe for warm-season lawns and tough on turf disease.

🔹 Headway G Granular Fungicide

Headway G is a granular fungicide renowned for its broad-spectrum control of various turfgrass diseases. It combines two active ingredients — azoxystrobin (0.31%) and propiconazole (0.75%) — that work synergistically to prevent and treat a wide range of fungal infections in lawns and landscapes.

Key Features:

• Dual-action formula: Combining azoxystrobin and propiconazole offers two modes of action, enhancing efficacy and reducing the risk of disease resistance.
  

• Granular convenience: Designed for easy application without the need for mixing or specialized equipment. The granules disperse quickly with light irrigation or dew, ensuring effective delivery of active ingredients.
  

• Broad-spectrum control: Effectively manages diseases such as brown patch, dollar spot, anthracnose, and take-all patch, among others.

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🔹 Pillar® SC Intrinsic® Brand Fungicide

Pillar® SC Intrinsic® Brand Fungicide is a liquid fungicide developed by BASF. It is designed to provide broad-spectrum control of up to 26 turf diseases in both cool- and warm-season grasses.

Key Features:

• Dual-active ingredients: Combines triticonazole (17.95%) and pyraclostrobin (15.8%), offering two modes of action for enhanced efficacy and resistance management.
  

• Fast-acting and long-lasting: Delivers rapid disease knockdown with residual control lasting up to 28 days.
  

• Single application rate: This rate simplifies usage with a uniform rate of 1.0 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft for all listed diseases, eliminating the need for multiple rates.

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By staying ahead of fungus pressure with the right products and a strong maintenance routine, your coastal lawn can stay clean, green, and disease-free all season long.

Mow the Right Way

Whether you’re growing warm- or cool-season grass, how you mow makes a big difference in the health, appearance, and resilience of your lawn. Coastal lawns, in particular, benefit from consistent, stress-free mowing since they already deal with challenges like wind, salt, and sandy soils.

Here are a few universal mowing tips to keep your lawn looking its best:

✅ Keep Your Mower Blades Sharp

Dull blades tear the grass instead of cutting it cleanly. That leads to frayed tips, browning, and it makes your turf more vulnerable to disease. Sharpen blades regularly — especially during the growing season when mowing is more frequent.

✅ Follow the One-Third Rule

Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mowing. Taking off too much at once stresses the plant, weakens the root system, and opens the door to weeds and disease.

✅ Adjust Your Mowing Height Seasonally

• Cool-season grasses (like Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescue) thrive when mowed taller — typically between 2.5" and 3.5."
  

• Warm-season grasses (like Bermudagrass and Zoysia) can be mowed shorter — often between 0.5" and 1.5" if maintained regularly.

During hot or dry spells, consider raising the height a bit to help your lawn retain moisture and stay green longer.

✅ Mow Consistently Based on Growth, Not the Calendar

Your mowing schedule should follow how fast the grass is growing — not just what day it is. In spring and early summer, when growth is more vigorous, you’ll need to mow more often.

✅ Avoid Mowing Wet Grass

Especially in humid coastal regions, mowing wet grass can lead to clumping, uneven cuts, and even spread fungal spores. Wait until the lawn is dry for the cleanest results.

Bonus Tip: If you really want that “golf course” look and you’re growing  fine-bladed warm-season grass like Bermuda or hybrid Zoysia, you can still look into reel mowing for the most precise cut. But for most homeowners — especially those with taller cool-season turf — a high-quality rotary mower with sharp blades will do the job beautifully.

Related: Winter Lawn Care for Coastal Soils: Dealing with Sandy, Acidic Soil Challenges 

Control Weeds Without Harming the Environment

Weeds thrive in stressed lawns — especially when soil is nutrient-poor or patchy. But coastal homeowners should be extra cautious with herbicide use to protect marine ecosystems.

Start with a Pre-Emergent: Lebanon Dimension or Prodiamine 0-0-7 

Lebanon 0.38% Prodiamine Granular Pre-Emergent Herbicide 0-0-7, or Dimension .15% Pre-Emergent Herbicide with Fertilizer 0-0-7, provide excellent pre-emergent control for crabgrass in the spring, Poa annua in the fall, and other common invaders, without burning your lawn or overloading it with nitrogen. These weed and feed products are easy to apply using a broadcast spreader and are suitable for all turf types.

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Got Weeds Already? Try a Combo Kit

If you missed your pre-emergent window or some stubborn weeds are still breaking through, it’s not too late to take action. For coastal lawns dealing with broadleaf weeds, sedges, or even grassy invaders, combo herbicide kits are a smart and effective solution.

These curated kits combine two professional-grade herbicides that target a wide range of weeds, plus blue marker dye and a surfactant, without harming your grass (when applied correctly for your lawn type).

🌿For Warm-Season Lawns:

Celsius and Certainty Herbicide Kit

Targets:

• Broadleaf weeds like spurge, clover, and dandelion

• Grassy weeds like crabgrass and dallisgrass (young stages)

• Nutsedge and kyllinga

• Other warm-season troublemakers like Virginia buttonweed and carpetweed.
  

Why it works:

• Celsius WG is a powerful post-emergent broadleaf and grassy weed killer with minimal risk of turf damage in heat.
  

• Certainty picks up where Celsius leaves off, targeting sedges and other difficult-to-control grassy weeds.

celsius-and-certainty-herbicide-kit-with-surfactant-and-dye

❄️ For Cool-Season Lawns:

Tenacity and Sedgehammer Herbicide Kit

Targets:

• Broadleaf weeds like chickweed, dandelion, and ground ivy
  

• Grassy weeds like crabgrass, poa annua, nimblewill
  

• Nutsedge (yellow and purple varieties).
  

Why it works:

• Tenacity is a unique systemic herbicide that can kill and even prevent some grassy weeds. It’s safe for newly seeded cool-season turf — one of the only post-emergents that is.
  

• Sedgehammer is specifically formulated to eliminate nutsedge without harming cool-season grasses.

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Be Patient and Consistent

The ocean didn’t shape the shore overnight, and your beach house lawn won’t become a golf course lawn in a week. Stick to your plan, trust the process, and don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

Pro tip: Document your lawn progress

Keep notes or take photos each month. Not only will it help you troubleshoot issues, but it’s super satisfying to see your transformation unfold.

Let’s Build Your Beach-Ready Lawn

With the right approach, a beachfront property lawn can be just as lush and healthy as any inland yard. The key is working with your environment, not against it — choosing the right products, managing salt and sand, and staying consistent.

Whether you’re just starting out or refining your lawn care game, we’re here to help. Check out our full lineup of pro-grade fertilizers, biostimulants, and herbicides and don’t hesitate to drop a question on the YouTube channel or shoot us an email.