Sure lime can help - it removes one of the three conditions that help moss thrive - low pH. I never recommend that anyone add lime without a recent soil test anymore, however, as there are at least two "bigger" problems that can come from that: overshooting the pH optimal range and/or tipping the Calcium/Magnesium ratio too far toward Magnesium (which can make the compacting situation even worse). If you have recent soil test results, post them and we'll let you know if lime could/should be used, and which type of lime to use (there are two types).

I like a well-tended lawn once in a while, but there are so many more interesting things to do with one's landscaping. Especially here in our Mediterranean climate and with super-talented people like bahia and michelle-the-deviant-designer around. I use soaker hoses with quick-coupler connects. Water usage in the summer, with uphill-pumping charge from EBMUD, 2100+ sq.ft. of fifteen heavily planted cottage garden beds, runs about $23/month. I water every 3-4 weeks, depending on temps - we're on the edge of the fog belt, so sometimes I can go extra long between soaks. But if we get those extreme heat spells, then I'll give the garden an extra soaking once it breaks. Mulch is my best friend, LOL! This is from early March this year, so not much color yet:

1. Before doing anything get a good, reliable soil test to see what that soils pH is and what the levels of Phosphorus, Potash, Calcium, and Magnesium are. Then dig in with these simple soil tests, Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top. 2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up. 3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart. 4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell. 5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy. to see what else about that soil needs help. Possibly, once you know more about the soil and can make knowledgeable decisions about what to do about the soil to make that into a good and healthy soil, then you can decide if tilling, which can help with leveling, or total removal of the present sod (often not necessary) and replacesment with some kind of soil and then laying sod or seeding, or whatever.

First, there is no St Augustine seed, so you can't do that. Second, once the sprinkler system goes, you have to buy a hose or two and a sprinkler. I recommend the turbo style oscillator sprinklers because they apply the most even pattern and coverage along with a very slow application so the water can sink in. I have a house now where I turned off the automatic system and use only oscillator hoses. They cover the area much better than the center-throw pop-up heads. St Augustine is pretty easy to grow once you figure out how to water it. Like every other grass out there, it needs to be watered deeply and infrequently. Deeply means 1 full inch every time you water. If it rains 1/2 inch, then you need to add another 1/2 inch. Infrequently means no more than once per week in the hottest heat of summer and less often when the weather is cooler. With temps in the 80s, you should go up to 2 weeks between deep watering. Most people in Florida seem to want to water a few minutes every day. That process develops grass with very short roots. Short roots are intolerant of drought, so if you miss a couple days of watering, or if one of your sprinklers clogs or breaks and you don't notice it, you could lose a lot of your lawn. But if you are deep watering on an infrequent basis, the roots will develop deeper down into the soil/sand and be much more tolerant of head and drought. Also weed seeds practically rely on daily watering to germinate. When you deny the water from the weed seeds, they will not germinate and develop into plants. So you can almost eliminate new weeds without any preemergent or other herbicides simply by controlling your watering. Mowing Always mow St Augustine at your mower's highest setting. There is never any reason to lower the deck. Tall St Aug provides shade to other plants, grasses, and weeds that might be trying to grow. Dense St Augustine will be the dominant plant in your yard. Fertilizing With your sand I strongly urge you to use nothing but organic fertilizers on the lawn. These will build the organic matter in your soil rather than deplete it like chemical fertilizers. Organic fertilizers feed real food to the microbes living in the ground. Those are the organic matter that matter. My preference for organic fertilizer is either alfalfa pellets (Rabbit Chow) or ground corn meal. Corn is very inexpensive this year...at least in my neighborhood. Corn is also relatively low in protein, so I tend to use it fairly heavy at 20 to 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Alfalfa pellets can be used at 20 pounds per 1,000. Call your local feed store to get prices for a 50-pound bag. Be sure they understand you want alfalfa pellets and not bales of alfalfa hay. And be sure they know you want corn meal and not corn GLUTEN meal and not deer corn. I start fertilizing with organics about now then repeat on Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. If you do those three things, and note that you were going to mow and water anyway, the only cost is for the fertilizer. You should have minimal weeds. Now...how do you get St Augustine reestablished in the yard. Since you don't have money then you must have patience. If you can afford to buy a few pieces of sod, you can reestablish the lawn in a couple of seasons. Most recently I've used Floratam, but you have to use what you can get locally. I like Floratam because it seems to grow faster than disease spreads. It is a dense turf that loves full sun. Prepare the ground by clearing out anything that's growing and place the sod down. Start watering it lightly at breakfast, lunch, and dinner time every day for 2-3 weeks until the roots have grown down into the soil underneath. Once that happens you can start to water longer and less often. You're trying to develop those deeper roots. You don't have to water the weeds at all, so a hose and hand sprayer is fine for now. When the temps are between 65 and 85, St Augustine spreads and spreads. In my neighborhood that happens in the spring and again in the fall. I get about 5 feet of runners each time for a total of 10 feet of spreading per season. Your mileage will vary. Back on the topic of mowing, I have a house where I mow it with a string trimmer down to 12 inches high. When it gets up to 16 inches or so I cut it back down. If I had a push or riding mower that would mow that high I would keep it at 12 inches. That's not great for playing in but it looks perfectly manicured, uses almost no water, and seems to need much less fertilizer to stay dark green. Also, since it's so tall and never gets anything but rainwater, there are no weeds or disease. I'm not necessarily suggesting that for you, but I am suggesting that if you were going to neglect something, neglect mowing and let the grass get much taller.