6 Spring Lawn Care Tips for Homeowners in El Paso, TX

It’s spring in El Paso and your lawn needs some care to make it in tip-top shape. A great lawn in the heat of Texas takes commitment to the basic–letting your lawn grow to its full potential. Because you live in a high-plains desert area, with a short growing season and poor soil, you are growing plants which won’t live without your direct intervention. Here a few ways to make sure you have a greener springtime!

1. Improve the soil

The soil, most likely, has either too much clay or sand and very little organic matter. This hinders your lawns ability to break down thatch. Plus, if your soil is sandy, any water will remain in the ground without draining. Because of this, thatch can’t decompose like it’s supposed to due to the lack of organic material.

If you have a hardy topsoil, the thatch will retain water and balance its production. So, if your soil is lacking, you can address and fix this problem. There are two ways to do so, one is to add soil and till it into the ground before laying the sod. The second way is to amend the soil by top dressing and adding small amounts of dirt over time.

2. Thatch

Depending on you grass type, your thatch level in your lawn should be between ¼” to ½” in depth. If you have more than that, you will be susceptible to disease plus; it won’t be cost-effective. When the thatch reaches a higher level than what’s right for it, then you will either have to invest in replacing the lawn or power raking the whole thing. To avoid over-enthusiastic thatch production, don’t overfertilize, over water, underwater or cut your lawn too short.

3. Water

With a yearly precipitation of about 17 inches, you will need to supplement your lawn with watering. The best method is if you use an underground sprinkler system. Since the average Bluegrass lawn will need about 45″ to 50″ of water during the year, a sprinkler will alleviate the need to water by hose. Using a properly maintained sprinkler system will be sure that your lawn is adequately watered.

4. Aerate

Core aeration is something that is overlooked by many homeowners. When you aerate your soil, it can pay for itself in the water savings alone. There are five reasons for aerating your lawn; fights soil compacting, gets air to the grasses roots, helps to control the thatch levels, and will promote new grass root growth in the area of the core holes.

5. Fertilize

Grass needs nutrients to grow, to help maintain a root system which is healthy and to tolerate stress when the weather is hot. Fertilizing your lawn is essential to keep diseases at bay and your grass stress-free. Because your lawn is an artificial environment not meant for the area you live in, it won’t survive without help. This is why the application of fertilizer with crucial nutrients is essential.

6. Mow

Depending on your grass type, the grass can grow faster or slower in El Paso weather conditions. For example, Bluegrass type lawn can grow up to five inches in a week under the proper set of circumstances. Cutting on a weekly schedule is important to keep the lawn healthy and maintained. If you mowed the lawn every two to three weeks, it could become stressed and start to thin out. This will increase the need to water and to fertilize.

Watering your lawn correctly and keeping it maintained is essential for a healthy, great looking lawn.

Need help with your spring lawn care? Visit our El Paso lawn care page.