Marathon vs St. Augustine Grass: Comprehensive Guide To Which Warm Season Turf Takes the Endurance Crown

As a veteran turfgrass advisor installing Southern lawns for over 20 years, I occasionally field amusing questions from homeowners desperate for guidance…like “Should I rip out my whole St. Augustine lawn to plant this new Marathon grass instead?” Understandable queries arise when trying to parse durable warm season grass differences.

While St. Augustine enjoys a longstanding reputation as a lush performer from Florida up through the transition zone, intriguing alternatives like Marathon seek to challenge its dominance. Developed by scientists explicitly cloning an “elite” St. Augustine hybrid with improved texture, color and drought defiance, Marathon shows promise edging into established turf royalty.

But does this upstart truly surpass decades of landscape honor earned by St. Augustine through generations of southern homeowners’ toil? Can genetically engineered Marathon confer equal function while introducing visually distinguished curb appeal? We will examine if innovations warrant displacing traditional iconography.

In this guide, we directly compare Marathon vs St. Augustine Grass across factors like:

• Blade width, softness, uniform appearance
• Growth rate, thatch potential and yearly color
• Pest/drought resistance and traffic tolerance
• Climate adaptability from transition through southern zones
• Pairing compatibility for mixed lawns

Equipped with insider guidance scrutinizing the merits of timeless St. Augustine against an ambitious competitor, southern lawn owners can handicap their next grass investment to capture optimal enduring performance through blistering summers ahead!

Marathon vs St. Augustine Grass Pros and Cons

Developed in 2020 by Blade Runner Farms through the selective crossing of elite St. Augustine grass clones, Marathon promises improved texture, dense growth, and drought resilience over its parent species. As an exciting warm season newcomer, how does this patented Marathon grass actually perform across key lawn criteria?

Emergence Traits, Texture and Feel

Marathon establishes rapidly from sod or plugs for quicker landscape coverage than sprigged St. Augustine. Its finer blade widths mimic sophisticated turfgrasses like Bermuda. Shoots emerge with a rich blue-green hue closer to ryegrass coloration while exhibiting excellent density. Marathon feels lush underfoot thanks to softened leaf tips quite uncommon among St. Augustine cultivars.

Growth Patterns and Ideal Care

Marathon maintains its signature color later into fall before fully going dormant, setting it apart aesthetically. But as a stoloniferous hybrid just like traditional St. Augustine grass, Marathon spreads through above-ground runners forming a thick carpet when healthy. Ideal mowing height falls around 2.5-4 inches. Its exceptional density resists common problems like weed and shade encroachment better than comparable grasses when maintained well.

Pest, Disease and Drought Resistance

Developers specifically selected parent St. Augustine plants demonstrating heightened disease defiance and improved drought tolerance for Marathon’s lineage. So far University trials report strong resistance to common threats like brown Patch, dollar spot yellow spot grass fungus and St. Augustine decline virus exceeding most commercial St. Augustine grasses available. Time will further vet Marathon’s improved hardiness claims through home lawns.

Regional Adaptability

As Marathon derives directly from St. Augustine grass, the same superior southern climate adaptability applies for Marathon. Transition zone homeowners through southern regions find Marathon suitable, ideally from zone 8 down through 10 with heat tolerance matching or potentially exceeding traditional St. Augustine. Its eyebrow-raising cold hardness also surprised researchers, with Marathon retaining color weeks longer into winter than typical St. Augustine once established.

Give Marathon’s promising enhancements beyond common St. Augustine’s long proven performance across key metrics, early adopters willing to showcase an intriguing newcomer may discover excellent utility. How does Marathon ultimately stack up to St. Augustine for your lawn?

St. Augustine Pros and Cons

With a longstanding reputation across southern lawns for luscious jade density and smoothed broad blades, St. Augustine easily remains homeowners’ top turf choice from warmer coastal transition zones down through Florida. But how does this lush grass darling actually fare on tangible metrics versus Marathon competitor claims?

Appearance, Texture and Cushioning Underfoot

St. Augustine flaunts a vivid blue-green hue when healthy, contrasting nicely against darker green alternatives. Its flat, stiff foliage proves wider than any other warm season grass. Such broad blades relay excellent density, forging a cushy walking surface. Yet some dislike its wider blades lacking visual fineness compared to hybrid Bermudas.

Growth Patterns and Necessary Maintenance

As a vigorously growing stolon grass variety, St. Augustine forms lateral stems above ground that weave solid sod coverage when given adequate space. But dense establishment brings heavy thatch potential requiring near annual dethatching. The ideal mowing temperature and height reaches 3-4 inches for typical cultivars. St. Augustine favors moderate fertilization levels with readily available nitrogen supplementation compared to Marathon.

Hardiness Overview

Given proper lawn care fitting its needs, St. Augustine has endured remarkably well in southern warmth and humidity for years due to impressive disease and pest tolerance. Once rooted, it withstands periods of drought stress better than alternatives like rye or fescue grass. These durable factors cement its legacy as a long favored southern grass.

Climate Fit Considerations

St. Augustine absolutely thrives across high heat zones 8 through 10 but shows weakness once winter temperatures drop much below 40 degrees in transition zones. Homeowners north of zone 8 willing to overseed, aerate and amend soil appropriately find success nurturing St. Augustine as a prized northern warm season outlier. Far southern regions enjoy nearly year-round benefits, however.

Give St. Augustine’s proven track record delivering ample density and reasonable resilience, does upstart Marathon merit displacing such a trusted brand? How might their strengths combine for hybrid lawns?

Head-to-Head Comparisons

When evaluating up-and-coming Marathon against time-tested St. Augustine, let’s examine how their touted enhancements translate into real-world performance differences homeowners can expect in key areas:

Shade Tolerance

St. Augustine enjoys a well-earned reputation struggling in moderately shaded areas lacking at least six hours of direct daily sunlight. Dense tree canopies force St. Augustine to decline without correction. Marathon promises significantly improved shade tolerance over traditional St. Augustine varieties thanks to initial University shade trial data. Early results reveal both greater density retention and sustained color vitality in partial shade that would ruin St. Augustine.

Traffic Resilience

With broad, fleshy blades and thick vegetative density, St. Augustine withstands moderate foot traffic once established reasonably well despite some wearing under excess friction. Marathon seeks to upgrade such durability even further as a selling point to homeowners. So far limited third-party testing verifies noticeably improved wear tolerance and compression rebound for Marathon compared to average St. Augustine cultivars. Ongoing scrutiny in home lawns will further validate if Marathon’s lofty claims of resisting lawn damage hold up.

Recovery Rate

No question St. Augustine excels bouncing back once growing conditions improve or seasonal dormancy ends across southern zones. Marathon’s developers assert their special variety surpasses even St. Augustine’s stellar recovery calibre through superior energy efficiency and transfer to roots and growing shoots. Homeowners may discover Merit rather than marketing regarding Marathon’s real-world repair capacity.

Thatch Buildup Tendency

Aggressive stolon spreading leaves most St. Augustine vulnerable to excessive thatch accumulation needing near annual power dethatching intervention. Marathon promises a thinner stolon structure reducing organic matter buildup substantially compared to current cultivars. So far University plant scientists observe noticeably slower vertical growth and sparser stolon density for Marathon, lending credence to its claims of resisting prolific thatching through home lawn years.

Specialist Perspective on Blending Marathon with St. Augustine

Intrigued homeowners often ask me “If Marathon and St. Augustine share so much genetically but Marathon boasts key performance upgrades, why not overseed or interplant them together capturing the best of both?” Can these two turfgrass cousins coexist in patchwork harmony through proper lawn care tailoring? My seasoned answer follows.

Can Marathon and St. Augustine Thrive Mixed?

Like deciding whether to mix elite Bermuda with common St. Augustine, Marathon and St. Augustine can sustainably blend when mowed to uniform heights. Their shared growth habits as stolon spreading varieties allow intermixing provided homeowners nurture conditions suiting both. For example, apply moderate nitrogen levels without aggressively feeding one variety into dominating another. Monitor soil moisture levels as well so neither grass suffers drought stress disadvantages.

Around their genetic similarities, recognize Marathon was engineered to achieve visual and structural differences from most St. Augustine. So, uniformity inevitably gets sacrificed when integrating dissimilar grasses in patchwork coexistence. I suggest planting Marathon solely in partially shaded areas or zones needing resilience upgrades to simplify maintenance.

Overseeding and Boundary Considerations

As a newcomer, Marathon turf availability remains limited at this stage so overseeding exists mainly to fill Marathon in with itself. Follow Marathon’s growth patterns for optimal timing. For neighbors planting up to St. Augustine boundaries, install physical dividers to contain Marathon’s spread. St. Augustine also creeps readily so exercise patience securing clean edges as both grasses mature.

What other guidance would help leverage Marathon’s innovations through thoughtful incorporation with storied St. Augustine sod? I’m happy to address special environmental factors or concerns about managing hybrid lawns!

Matching Grass Varieties to Your Unique Needs

When deciding between Marathon Turf and St. Augustine, factor in your climate realities, specific lawn usage and upkeep goals first. Marathon promises heightened performance but remains unproven long-term through southern summers. St. Augustine enjoys generations of resilience honors – though some varieties fare better regionally. Beyond those two options await additional alternatives as well.

Climate Specifications Favoring Each Grass

St. Augustine reigns supreme as the warm season grass of choice across the southernmost tier of states like Florida and Gulf Coast regions where searing temperatures stay elevated. Marathon must demonstrate over years that its enhancements translate to real-world persistence matching St. Augustine’s enduring legacy throughout zone 9 down to 10. In transition zones like 8a up through the Carolinas, Marathon’s purported improved cold hardiness might sustain color and thickness longer into winter than St. Augustine, mitigating the frost effect on grass.

Solutions for High Traffic Areas

For homeowners needing a grass variety sustaining heavy recreational foot traffic from kids or pets, Marathon currently offers the best salt tolerance, wear resistance and recovery attributes compared to standard St. Augustine based on early data. Its improved density and compression rebound should minimize thinning and compaction. But further testing must support Marathon’s purported resilience against lawn damage when real homeowners apply friction over the years.

Alternatives Beyond Marathon and St. Augustine

While Marathon and St. Augustine remain warm season southern favorites, also consider Bermuda and Zoysia options. Newer Bermuda hybrids offer advanced texture and durability like Marathon. Zoysia tolerates partial shade favourably while boasting envious wear resistance when maintained properly. Weigh alternatives against preferred color, growth habits and upkeep commitments.

What matters most are realistic expectations aligned to individual lawn requirements and ongoing care commitment more than promises. Not every innovation that works in trials sustains the long run. But as Marathon turf supply catches up with homeowner demand, its merits and limitations will become clear.

Closing Thoughts on the Marathon vs St. Augustine Decision

In closing, how do we ultimately handicap upstart Marathon against enduring icon St. Augustine for southern warmth? When evaluating newcomer promises meeting longstanding reputation, the prudent choice remains “trust but verify” through rigorous scrutiny under real-world home conditions over an extended timeframe.

For now, credit Marathon’s innovators for apparently engineering measurable improvements in shade adaptability, water efficiency and wear recovery over generic St. Augustine based on early trial data. Such performance upgrades manifest as real benefits for homeowners frustrated by common St. Augustine limitations. Yet unanswered questions linger on Marathon’s longevity, pest resistance and regional limitations outside Florida over multiple seasons.

Before ripping out beloved St. Augustine sods, give Marathon 3-5 years to demonstrate substantive advantages holding up under years of family lawn abuse rather than controlled testing alone. Allow expanded availability to gauge real-world aesthetics beyond sod farm promises as well. While Marathon promos showcase delightful uniformity and blue-green hues, maintaining such elite calibre through homeowners’ routine care presents our next scrutiny.

I suggest interested southern homeowners employ Marathon initially for shaded areas or high traffic zones to evaluate its revamped resilience against local conditions over a few growing seasons before committing your entire landscape. Customize care practices to meet Marathon’s unique needs as well while comparing against side-by-side strips of St. Augustine.

If Marathon indeed proves superior retaining beauty and function with less input, then larger lawn conversions may warrant consideration. Until then, withhold outright judgments on dispossessing a trusted legacy performer based solely on a newcomer’s auspicious first steps emerging from scientific selection.

As with any verdant choice boasting the potential to transform landscape expectations, optimizing success requires properly matching enhanced attributes to a growing environment plus realistic care commitment more than inherent grass greatness alone. After all, even elite genetic potential only shines through nurturing cultivation allowing full expression over the long run of home ownership.

Homeowner FAQs: Marathon Turf vs St. Augustine

What are the main disadvantages of St. Augustine grass?

Being a lush grower, St. Augustine requires frequent mowing and edging to contain its spread. Most varieties also struggle through moderate shade and accumulation thatch rather quickly necessitating mechanical removal to stay healthy long-term. St. Augustine also shows limitations in recovering from heavy wear damage without meticulous renovation.

What is the most durable warm season grass variety overall?

Among southern warm season options, new Bermuda hybrids demonstrate the highest tolerance against traffic wear, drought resistance and disease threats when properly maintained. Their stiff growth, deep roots and advanced breeding convey supreme resilience.

How quickly does Marathon grass spread?

Early small-scale observations estimate Marathon grass spreads laterally up to 30% quicker than comparable St. Augustine varieties. Over an active growing season, Marathon can establish full ground coverage noticeably faster once rooted compared to traditional southern grasses.

Does Marathon grass require less watering than St. Augustine?

Yes, initial drought tolerance trials show Marathon able to sustain acceptable quality and uniformity significantly longer through moisture stress before wilting or browning compared to average St. Augustine cultivars. Its improved water efficiency aids resistance against temporary irrigation lapses.

What grass variety performs better overall than typical St. Augustine?

New improved Bermuda grass hybrids match or exceed St. Augustine’s climate adaptability in southern zones while demonstrating elevated wear tolerance, deeper green color and advanced texture. Expect higher maintenance with Bermudas, however.

Is Marathon grass taxonomically considered a St. Augustine variety?

No. While Marathon derives genetically from St. Augustine’s parent plants, patent owners Bladerunner label it a distinct “hybrid” cultivar. Marathon is not a traditional variety. As a unique crossing, its amplified performance exceeds existing St. Augustine norms per developers.

What type of sod is Marathon advertised as?

Marathon’s makers promote it as an exclusive ultra-dwarf stolen form turfgrass. This means Marathon propagates laterally through above-ground stems/runners like traditional southern lawn grasses while boasting compact growth. Its dwarf genetics explain claimed reductions in mowing and vertical thatch accumulation.

Which grass actually exhibits better drought resistance – Marathon or St. Augustine?

Under controlled testing so far, Marathon demonstrates significantly improved drought tolerance and water use efficiency compared to standard St. Augustine varieties. Trials confirm Marathon retains acceptable green coverage and uniformity substantially longer through periods of restricted irrigation. Time will further validate its drought defiance.

What other questions arise on choosing Marathon or enduring St. Augustine for southern lawns? Feel free to inquire with me!