It has been 28 days and counting without rain in Houston.
Much of southeast Texas is currently under a moderate drought, and the lack of rain is leaving lawns thirsty for water. Instead of lush green colors, lawns have a crunchy feel and a brown color.
Are you looking to nurture your lawn back to health? Southwest Fertilizer’s store manager, Aaron Moore, says they have been helping people do just that.
An important step is water—when and how much you use can make a difference.
“Water for a longer amount of time, but you want the frequency to be twice a week, so the water is getting deeper in the soil and helping out the roots more,” says Moore.
You should be worried about watering frequency—don’t water every day because the water will likely stay on the surface too long, inviting fungus to grow.
Moore also suggests keeping watering times in the mornings instead of the evenings as we see cooler temperatures. This schedule will help prevent fungus from forming.
Southwest Fertilizer recommends checking out products like soil activators and compost to help the soil better absorb water. These steps will help in the short term and make your grass come back even better in the spring.
If your lawn has a bare area, you can plant ryegrass to help it grow over the winter. You can even put compost down on bare areas to help grass grow back in.
Keep in mind that if your grass is brown, it may not be drought alone – there could be a fungal issue or bugs. It is important to solve what it is, so it doesn’t get worse.