Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is a high-performing turfgrass known for its exceptional heat and drought tolerance, making it ideal for Texas climates. This warm-season grass thrives under the state’s intense summer sun and recovers robustly from stress. Achieving a dense, vibrant Bermuda lawn requires a maintenance approach focused on intensive care during the active growing season. This guidance outlines the steps necessary to maintain a healthy, resilient Bermuda lawn in the Texas environment.
Mowing and Watering Requirements
Maintaining the correct grass height and a disciplined watering schedule are the two most fundamental tasks for a healthy Bermuda lawn. Bermuda grass performs best when kept short, with the ideal height for common varieties ranging from 1 to 2 inches when using a standard rotary mower. Cutting the grass shorter encourages the stolons, or above-ground stems, to grow horizontally, resulting in a much denser, carpet-like turf.
This low cutting height requires a frequent mowing schedule, often weekly during the peak growing months of summer. In times of rapid growth, you may need to mow two or even three times per week to adhere to the “one-third rule,” which states you should never remove more than one-third of the grass blade height at any single mowing session. Scalping the lawn by removing too much leaf tissue at once can stress the grass and create bare spots that invite weeds.
Watering practices should emphasize depth over frequency to promote a strong, drought-tolerant root system. Bermuda grass needs approximately 1 inch of water per week, either from rainfall or supplemental irrigation, once it has fully emerged from dormancy. Instead of daily, shallow sprinkles, apply water deeply and infrequently, allowing the top layer of soil to dry out between watering sessions.
Deep watering encourages the roots to chase the moisture downward, increasing the grass’s resilience during Texas heat waves and potential drought restrictions. The best time to water the lawn is in the early morning, ideally between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., which minimizes water lost to evaporation and allows the grass blades to dry completely before evening, reducing the risk of fungal disease.
Optimizing Soil Health and Fertilization
Bermuda grass is a heavy feeder, requiring a consistent nutrient supply to maintain its dense growth. The most effective way to determine exact needs is by conducting a soil test every few years, which provides the precise ratio of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) required. Without a soil test, apply 0.5 to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per application during the growing season.
Fertilization should begin in late spring (late April or May) after the grass has fully greened up and been mowed, signaling active growth. Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer that includes slow-release nitrogen. This provides a steady nutrient supply over several weeks, preventing sudden growth surges and reducing the risk of burning the turf in summer heat.
Applications should continue every four to eight weeks throughout the summer, concluding with a final application at least six weeks before the expected first frost, usually in early September. This final application should contain little to no nitrogen and focus on potassium to enhance the grass’s cold hardiness and disease resistance as it prepares for winter dormancy.
Routine aeration and dethatching are beneficial practices for Bermuda lawns to address structural soil needs. Aeration involves removing small soil plugs to relieve compaction, allowing water, air, and nutrients to penetrate the root zone more easily. Bermuda grass is prone to developing a thick layer of thatch—dead and decaying plant material—between the soil surface and the grass blades.
Dethatching, or verticutting, is necessary when the thatch layer exceeds a half-inch, as this layer can harbor pests and diseases while preventing water absorption. Both aeration and dethatching should be performed during the active growing season, ideally in mid-to-late spring or early summer, allowing the grass enough time to recover quickly from the mechanical disturbance.
Seasonal Weed and Pest Control Strategies
Effective weed control relies on the proper timing of pre-emergent herbicides, which create a chemical barrier to stop weed seeds from germinating. The most critical application window is in the spring, targeting summer annual weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass. This application should occur when the soil temperature consistently reaches 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, typically from late February to mid-March in Texas. A second application in the fall is necessary to control winter annual weeds such as annual bluegrass (Poa annua), henbit, and chickweed. Apply this fall pre-emergent when soil temperatures drop to 70 degrees and are trending downward, generally in September.
For any weeds that manage to sprout, post-emergent herbicides can be used for spot treatment. They are most effective when applied to small, actively growing weeds and when air temperatures are between 65 and 85 degrees. Several pests commonly target Bermuda grass in Texas, and preventative monitoring is the best defense against major damage.
White grubs, the larvae of beetles, feed on grass roots, causing the turf to lift up like a loose carpet, and are most damaging in summer and fall. Chinch bugs thrive in hot, dry conditions and suck the sap from grass blades, leading to irregular yellow patches that resemble drought stress. Sod webworms and fall armyworms are caterpillars that chew the grass blades, often causing rapid browning over large areas.
Treatment for these pests often involves the application of a targeted insecticide. For white grubs, beneficial nematodes can be introduced, and for armyworms, a biological control like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) can be used. Maintaining a dense, healthy lawn through proper mowing, watering, and feeding is the first line of defense against all these common Texas turf pests.