Today we continue our deep dive into turf issues that lead homeowners to call in professional lawn care services. In Part 1 we discussed three of the top seven worst lawn problems in North Texas, which include brown patch, under watering and over fertilizing. While homeowners can correct some of these challenges if caught early on, more serious damage requires the skilled maintenance offered by professionals. Now we’ll review the final four major lawn concerns faced by North Texans.
Four Major Lawn Problems Affecting North Texas Turf
These are major but common issues. And even though these major lawn problems affect the health and look of your yard, it’s not all bad news—not every lawn has to be re-sodded. With proper identification and steady treatment, your turf can regain its vitality.
4. Chinch Bugs
Circular brown patches in the midst of your St. Augustine grass in middle or late summer may be a sign of chinch bugs. To find out if this is the case, try this trick. Cut both ends off of an empty coffee can, then push one end into the center of a dying brown patch. Fill the can with water, then watch. If you see small black bugs and larvae rise to the surface, then you likely have a chinch bug infestation.
Perhaps the most disturbing feature of chinch bugs is their mouth, which is specially shaped for sucking. They’re able to attach themselves to the base of grass blades and feed voraciously. Like many pests, chinch bugs are dormant in the winter but become active as temperatures rise. They can produce approximately three to five new generations each summer, enabling them to spread damage to your St. Augustine grass with surprising speed. This is a time when hiring professional pest control services might be necessary. The pros may recommend a turf builder, remove excess thatch, or suggest other remedies.
5. Wrong Choice of Turf Grass
Generally speaking, Bermuda grass is a great choice if you’ve got a sunny yard. Bermuda loves full sun exposure all day, every day. Most varieties of this grass are heat and drought tolerant, making it a great choice for North Texas landscapes. It doesn’t require a lot of watering (even during the hottest months), though basic hydration is still a necessity. However, if you’ve got Bermuda grass in a spot that gets less than four hours of direct sunlight every day, then you may have problems, as that’s not enough time for it to properly photosynthesize. Less energy means weak growth, making the turf more susceptible to drought and disease, and less tolerant of temperature extremes.
If your yard is shady, then St. Augustine grass may be a winner for you. It tends to grow well under trees and in other protected areas. However, St. Augustine still needs a few hours of sun exposure every day. If your once-thriving St. Augustine is now faltering, try cutting back or thinning your trees, as they may be blocking the sun’s rays from reaching the grass.
6. Thatch Buildup
Thatch is more than just old grass clippings. Usually it’s a combination of dead turf grass crowns, dead roots and other debris. A layer of less than one-half inch of grass clippings is beneficial to your lawn, but more than that can inhibit growth. Thatch also harbors pests, mildew and diseases, and with the right amount of buildup, before you know it your lawn may just barely be surviving. If you’re dealing with excess thatch in a very small, contained area, try using a dethatching rake. Your problem may also be solved by checking your soil’s pH balance and with lawn aeration services. However, a larger yard or a more widespread problem will require a call to your lawn maintenance professionals.
7. Improper pH
Is improper pH holding your lawn back from growth and health? Improper soil pH is included in the seven worst lawn problems. By identifying those nutrients that your lawn is lacking, accurate pH testing ensures that you aren’t wasting fertilizer. Most lawn fertilizers contain nitrogen (and sometimes also phosphorus and potassium). The amounts of these components are indicated on the fertilizer label with numbers like 20-5-10 or 20-0-0, showing how much of the three ingredients (in the order listed above) are included in a particular formula.
If you have not tested your soil’s pH to know where you currently stand, then you don’t know if your lawn is making the best use of the fertilizer you’re putting down. Even if the nutrients are there, your lawn may be unable to take up the nutrients and use them. This can easily lead to over or under fertilizing your lawn, resulting in damage to your grass.
Any of these lawn problems can ruin the look of your lawn and cause it to require insect or disease treatments. When you’re struggling with these or any other issues, contact the professionals at Green Top Lawn Care.
Quality Lawn Care Services Address North Texas Lawn Problems
At Green Top Lawn Care we specialize in restoring North Texas lawns. We have the skills and equipment to nourish all kinds of yards, addressing the worst problems and turning these lawns into the flourishing spaces they’re meant to be. To get help for your lawn, call us today at 817-684-4044 or request a free lawn care quote.
