Summer Lawn Care Watering Tips for Texans

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One thing that can be quite difficult for many Texans is learning how to adequately water their lawn in the summertime. Healthy lawn care and proper maintenance are hard enough. But, it’s especially difficult during those prolonged days of a heatwave, when the temperatures are at triple digits. On top of that, there’s that period when the city is in a drought and your community water district places watering restrictions on the whole neighborhood!

Regardless of all that, our plants, trees, lawn, and flowers still need to have extra watering to stay healthy. After all, we know how important it is to keep your lawn and outdoor foliage healthy and vibrant no matter the temperature.

SURVEY THE SCORCHING SUN

There is just no way around it. Summers in Texas are just plain old hot, and the sun can be merciless. When you cut your grass too short or let it get too tall, the sun can wreak havoc in both scenarios by burning grass blades and nutrients. To fix this issue, you’ll want to cut your grass at an appropriate height or have your professional lawn care provider cut your grass.

If you have St. Augustine and/or Bermuda grasses, adjust the mower to cut at 1.5 to 3.5 inches in the summer. However, for great results, keep your grass height mowed at a happy medium of 2.5 inches when it’s hot outside.

Despite these issues, proper watering for your lawn and outdoor foliage will ultimately keep them healthy and vibrant. So, here are some great watering tips to keep in mind during the summertime…

WHEN TO WATER

If you want great results, water your lawn thoroughly at least three times a week. This is especially important when we have times of drought and we’re not getting significant rainfall.

• Water delicate shrubs and all your flowers daily.
• It’s also ideal to water your grass during the early morning hours, between 2 and 6 a.m. During the early morning, the sun isn’t out and the air is much cooler. This allows your yard to get a good dose of water as it gets down into the soil better without significant evaporation.
• If you have an automatic sprinkler system, set it as such, to water thrice-weekly early in the morning.
• For those who have to water manually, be sure to water your grass before 8 a.m. for best results.
• Lastly, be sure to adjust your schedule during times of heavy rain. And if there is a hurricane, turn your sprinklers off.

HOW TO WATER

What if you forget to water in the morning? Turn to the late evening hours after the sun goes down; then resume the morning hours schedule.

• Watering in the middle of the day is not advised due to blade burning and fast evaporation of the water when the sun is peaking.
• Please try to avoid not watering at all because your lawn is alive and always needs water.
• A good rule of thumb for your lawn is to water 1-inch deep.
• Another great tip to remember is that it’s better for you to water your lawn heavily and less frequently, than to water lightly daily. Remember, water deeply three times a week!
• What if you want to measure time for one-inch watering? Easy, purchase a rain gauge, OR an empty tuna can.
• To use a rain gauge, place it on the lawn at the start of watering. Note the time it took for your gauge to reach 1 inch and watering is complete. You can then set your sprinklers to water in each zone for that particular time period.
• Lastly, remember these special tips:
  • Make sure that your trees are getting water too.
  • Water your special flowers and potted foliage manually each morning and ensure that you’re watering each kind according to care instructions.
  • Be sure to pay close attention to grassy areas that get a lot of sunshine.