Green Grass and High Temps

If you live in Texas, you know about the extreme weather we have in the Lone Star State. With little rain in the last decade, Texas is facing drought, and the sun always seems to be there to shine on your yard whether you like it or not. For Texas residents, summer usually starts with a brown and dry backyard. Backyard BBQs, a favorite Texas past time, are all too often hosted on sad, dry, brittle grass ghosts instead of the lovely green lawns we all love.

The value of your backyard depends on how you provide water to your grass. The recommended water needed by your lawn is, at the minimum, half an inch of water a couple of times in a week. This includes manual watering or rainfall. Morning is always the best time for watering your lawn. By beating the sun to your yard, the soil gets soaked quickly, letting water more easily reaches the roots. Also, the water on your grass is less likely to evaporate in the early morning hours.

To Mow or Not to Mow

Letting your grass grow too long is not recommended. Your yard is already under pressure during the drought. It can cause significant damage to your lawn if you remove more than one third length of the leaf at a time. Additionally, cut your grass using a sharpened blade, as dull ones shred the upper part of the grass blade, leaving them vulnerable to infection.

Preventative Care

Preventive care is always better than a cure. It is ideal to take measures for your lawn during the spring to make sure your grass won’t get damaged during the dry months of summer. Fertilizing the lawn and keeping it aerated are other necessary measures to be taken to assure good health for your grass.

Make sure to not spray chemical fertilizers at least a month before the beginning of sizzling summer temperatures. In fact, a better option is to spray the organic fertilizers during the late spring. We recommend addressing weed problems during the summertime, as weed plants and grasses tend to germinate in the autumn months.

To keep your grass from being harmed in the process, make sure weed treatments happen when it is less than 85 degrees outside. Also, make sure to give your grass the space and oxygen it needs. You can do this through soil loosening and aeration. By doing so, the soil retains valuable moisture, making it less vulnerable to the damage of extreme heat. If the soil is loose, water can also easily penetrate below the ground and hydrate the roots.

Are You In a Drought Affected Area?

If you live in or near these drought areas, be aware of any local water use guidelines. They are mandatory in some regions, voluntary in others. Click here to see if your city has water use restrictions.

If you don’t know how to best care for your new sod lawn in these conditions, contact the Grass Outlet. We know all about your grass, be it Bermuda, Buffalo, St. Augustine or any other variety. We know them all and are here to help you and your family or your business have a greener summer!