The warm-season grasses grown in Texas thrive in hot weather. Zoysia, Bermuda, centipede and other types of warm-season grass experience their peak growth season during the warm months of the spring, summer, and early fall. This increases their drought tolerance, and there are a few additional steps you can take to help your lawn thrive when there is little water available for irrigation.
Watering Efficiently
As long as you have some water available for your lawn, you want to make the most of it. Watering efficiently will minimize wasted water and ensure that the water getting to your grass encourages healthy lawn growth. Deep, infrequent watering instead of small amounts of water every day or so will encourage deep root growth and keep the soil moist for a longer time between waterings.
Other tips for saving water include:
- water in the morning to minimize evaporation
- check your hoses and sprinklers regularly for leaks
- make sure sprinklers and hoses are adjusted so water is only falling on the lawn, not the sidewalk or other areas of the yard
- keep an eye on the weather so you’re not watering right before or right after rain when possible.
- use soaker hoses instead of sprinklers
- avoid creating run-off by watering too much at one time
Change Mowing Habits
One of the easiest things you can do to help your lawn survive a drought is increase the mowing height. Taller grass blades encourage a deeper root system that will be better able to survive low water conditions. Since the grass may bHee growing more slowly with less water, you may also be able to switch from a weekly to a biweekly mowing schedule.
When you do cut the lawn, make sure you leave the clippings on the grass instead of raking. This will return nutrients and moisture to the soil, helping to protect your lawn against drought. With a mulching mower, the clippings will be finely chopped.
Weeds and Fertilizer
Controlling weeds and applying fertilizer play an important role in keeping your lawn healthy. Weeds will steal water and nutrients from grass and should be removed with chemical herbicides or by pulling and other natural methods.
Texas grasses should be fertilized at least once a year, in the spring as the peak growing season starts. A time-release chemical fertilizer or an organic fertilizer like compost are good choices. If there is enough water available, you can fertilize a few more times in the late spring and summer and early in the fall. When water is less available, however, you’ll want to fertilize less to avoid stressing the grass.
With a little attention to efficient watering and basic lawn maintenance, you’ll be able to help your grass survive and thrive when there is little water available. Watering deeply when you can and increasing the mowing height will help strengthen your grass to survive periods of drought. Making sure that you’re only watering grass instead of weeds, and timing your fertilization around the amount of water available, will also contribute to a healthy lawn.
