Is your lawn in rough shape? The intense heat and frequent drought conditions here in North Texas can wreak havoc on your lawn. That’s why lawn restoration in Texas is a hot topic!
In this article, we’ll dive right into how to renovate a lawn in Texas. We’ll give you our step-by-step lawn care guide including what might be involved.
Keep in mind that every lawn is going to be different and have different circumstances, so that can change things. There might be some steps that are relevant to your lawn and some that are not. This is one of the key reasons why it’s so important to work with a lawn care professional.
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Step by step lawn renovation
Every lawn is different and that’s going to mean that your steps might have some variation.
Step 1: Diagnose the root problems
Homeowners don’t always realize that the health of their lawn hinges upon what’s going on beneath the surface. The health of your lawn’s roots is critical.
When grass roots grow deep into the soil, you’re giving your lawn better access to water and nutrient reservoirs. Deep-rooted grass also has better access to microbial life which is important to the health of your soil (and in turn, the health of your grass).
Unfortunately, when a lawn grows shallow roots, the overall health and vigor of the grass can be questionable. This might affect the overall resilience and also appearance of your lawn
Shallow roots can be the result of improper watering or stress factors like compaction or overall poor soil health (we’ll talk about that later). Root problems can also be caused by subsurface pests called grubs, that actually feast on a lawn’s roots.
Getting to the “root of the problem” is a good first step in lawn renovation in North Texas.
Step 2: Choose the best grass type for North Texas
When undergoing a lawn restoration in Texas, you also get a chance to consider your grass type and what’s going to work best for your lawn. Of the various grass types that grow here, Bermuda is one of the most common. It is hardy and drought tolerant.
But a big challenge with Bermudagrass is that it does not tolerate shade well.
For a shady property, Zoysia grass might be the best choice. It’s also relatively pest and disease tolerant. However, it is not very drought tolerant and does require quite a bit of upkeep.
St. Augustine is another popular choice but also is not quite as hardy. It’s actually not uncommon for lawns to have two different grass types growing to accommodate various conditions.
For instance, if you have a shady backyard and a sunny front yard, you might have Zoysia in the back and Bermudagrass in the front. This is something to discuss with a lawn care professional.
Step 3: Timing the renovation
Ultimately, a lawn renovation in North Texas is ideally performed between February and June 1st or between October 1st and November 30th. In December and January, warm-season grasses are in dormancy and the harsher conditions can prevent establishment.
Similarly, in the hottest days of the summer (July, August, and September), it’s going to be very challenging to install new sod as the intense heat and drought conditions are highly stressful.
Step 4: Address weeds and remove existing turf
Weeds in North Texas are a significant concern so the lawn renovation process should also involve getting any existing weed problems under control.
Taking care of those pesky weeds means making an investment in comprehensive weed control.
A good weed control program is going to include a combination of pre-emergents (which help prevent weeds in the first place) and post-emergents (that control weeds that have already germinated). It should also include specialty controls for certain weeds that require a specialized approach.
Step 5: Fix the soil
Remember how we talked about diagnosing soil problems in the first step? Well, now that the bad turf is removed and the soil is exposed, it’s a great time to make any corrections that need to be done.
We almost always remove some of the old soil to remove most of the roots from existing weeds and grasses. We then till one to two inches of nutrient rich organic bedding soil into the existing topsoil before laying the new sod.
Step 6: Improve irrigation
With the turf removed, now is also the time to look at irrigation. We try to address all irrigation system issues or upgrades before laying down the new sod.
Proper irrigation will be critical to maintaining your renovated turf.
Irrigation systems have recently come incredibly far in terms of new technology and features. If you’re operating an older system, you might be shocked by how much more a smart irrigation system could do for you these days. A lawn renovation is an optimal time to consider an upgrade.
Step 7: Install new turf
Because seeding is difficult due to our climate, sodding is going to be your best path for a lawn renovation in Texas. With sod you also get an “instant lawn.” The key will be properly caring for the sod once it is installed, which we’ll talk about next.
Step 8: Early care for your new lawn
Smart watering and proactive care in the early stages of your new lawn’s establishment are important.
The first two weeks, sod should be watered several times per day while roots “take” and the new grass stabilizes in your yard. After two weeks, you can taper off watering to once daily and after the third week, if roots are establishing as expected, you should irrigate the lawn three times per week (unless water restrictions are in place).
Step 9: Ongoing lawn care for long-term success
Once you fix a damaged lawn in North Texas with a total lawn renovation, you want to keep it that way! Ongoing lawn care with important services like fertilization and weed control will help keep your lawn looking its best.
This Lawn Care Guide for North Texas will provide you with other advice you need to know in regard to caring for your turf.
How long will it take for lawn renovation in North Texas?
We generally only recommend a lawn renovation using new sod which is an almost immediate fix. It takes a few weeks to root in but instantly looks better. You’ll have a new lawn right away!
Some clients can’t afford sod so they will try seeding and that can take more than a season and a lot of reseeding to make a big difference. It can be difficult for seeding to become established due to intense heat and drought conditions.
Who can fix a damaged lawn in North Texas?
Lawn restoration in Texas is truly best left to a pro. A big reason is that many homeowners simply do not know how to determine the root cause of why their lawn fell into poor shape in the first place.
It takes an effective system to produce the best results. This includes a proper diagnosis of problems (usually multiple diagnoses), problem corrections, soil amendments, proper grass type selection, proper irrigation, and so much more.
The entire process can be a lot more complicated than people tend to realize and they can end up throwing a lot of money into their turf that they don’t see the benefits from on their own. When you’re paying a professional for a lawn renovation, you’re paying for their expertise.
Choosing lawn renovation services in North Texas
We understand that you may be embarrassed and frustrated with the lawn you’re currently looking at. We’d love to help you figure out the best choice for your home. A lawn renovation can be a big undertaking which is one of the reasons why you want to make sure it’s performed by a pro.
Once your new lawn is established, you also want to make sure that you’re properly caring for it so that it does not fall into disrepair again.
Still have questions about the process or what your lawn specifically needs? We’re here to be your guide if you need us. Whether you have questions about your lawn (and what it needs) or you just want to better understand how Grasssperson stacks up against other lawn services in Flower Mound, Lewisville, or Highland Village, TX, we are here to help.
Choosing the best lawn renovation service is an important decision that will directly impact your results. Don’t get caught up with gimmicks that are meant to lead you astray. Focus on the information that you know matters most and you’ll ultimately make a wise choice.
Get the best lawn on the block. We’ll be happy to provide you with a free quote for repairing your lawn and then also a quote to keep it looking just as beautiful over the years.
