Lawns & Landscaping
Lawns and landscaping ... these are two of the most important items to maintain on the outside of a home! Not everyone who lives in Emerald Park has grown up in North Texas, and therefore may not know how to deal with the temperature extremes that can be encountered year round. Summer heat is definitely the worst culprit, followed by pop-up ice storms in February, or gusty winds and hailstorms that seem to happen on a whim. No wonder it's been said that "the weather forms here in North Texas."
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We've pulled together some great resources from Texas experts that include tips and tricks on maintaining a beautiful lawn and landscaping year round, from the brutal hot, dry summers to the sometimes freezing winters our lawns have to endure. This professional advice is specific to our local North Texas area. From watering schedules to seasonal plantings, check back here often because this information will change with the seasons.
CURB APPEAL. It's the very first thing that draws the interest of a potential homebuyer to a property because it’s the first thing they see. Curb appeal is that crucial “first impression” of a home. This was probably your own experience when deciding to purchase your home in Emerald Park.
To that end, it's important that each of us continue to keep plants, bushes, trees, and flowers trimmed and pruned in all seasons to ensure that initial beautiful curb appeal doesn't disappear after the years do. Most people don't realize that these growing things have a shelf life. What was planted in full sun 10 years ago may now be shaded by other landscaping that has grown over the years, causing bushes to become thinned out and now showing more "sticks" than leaves. That means it's time to replace!
ABOUT MULCH. Mulch, mulch, mulch. YEAR ROUND! Three to four inches in every bed. Repeat as needed. Mulch is an unsung hero of a plant or flower bed. Aesthetically, mulch finishes off a bed and makes a planting look more cohesive. Culturally, it conserves moisture, keeps the sun from baking the ground, and discourages weeds. Mulch keeps the soil at a good temperature, conserves water, and generally looks nice. What's not to love? Mulch works to improve the quality of the soil and protect your plants and plant roots. It also protects bare soil from weed seeds so it remains attractive.
DON'T SCALP YOUR LAWN! Especially during periods of drought, mow at the highest height possible. Most of the common grass types in North Texas should be mowed to around 3.5-4 inches, which is about 1/2 inch higher than normal. If you use a mowing service, please know that YOU have to tell them how to cut your lawn. Otherwise, they will cut it short which can cause a lawn to turn brown.
Mowing the grass high encourages strong root growth and heat tolerance. Taller grass provides more shade, keeping weeds from germinating and competing with your grass.
Start by sharpening mower blades because grass needs a clean cut. Did you know that mower blades typically stay sharp only through about 10 hours of mowing? Dull blades tear and shred grass, which ultimately makes it more susceptible to losing moisture.
Bi-Weekly Works! Mow frequently enough that you are never cutting off more than 1/3 of the grass blade length. In fact, it’s much better to only cut off 1/4 of an inch at a time. Chances are that biweekly lawn mowing should do the trick.
WATERING - WHEN AND HOW. Actually, there's no guesswork here if you have an irrigation system! One of the best things you can do for your lawn's survival and growth is to water it properly. Sounds simple enough, but the fact is there are 3 specific practices that need to be implemented to achieve the best results: (1) knowing the best time to water, (2) knowing how long to water, and (3) knowing how often to water.
HOW OFTEN? In addition to the time of day and watering duration, you'll also need to know how many days a week to water. Again, it’s all about getting that optimal amount of water down (one to two inches per week). During the summer, it's recommended to water 3-4 days per week to achieve that goal. In the winter, you can plan on watering your lawn in the morning, just once a week.
WHAT TIME? The best time to water grass in North Texas is just before sunrise. This timing will allow plenty of opportunity for the water to soak in before the sun begins to cause evaporation - and it also won’t leave excess water sitting on the lawn promoting fungal growth.
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HOW LONG? An important point to make in terms of how long to water grass in North Texas is that turf areas require a minimum of one to two inches of water per week during the growing season. Your goal is to achieve that output. it’s typically between 10 to 35 minutes per zone (depending on the type of irrigation heads your sprinkler system has). Rotor heads must run around 25 to 35 minutes per zone, whereas spray heads can typically do the job in 10 to 15 minutes per zone. Exact specifics may vary.
FERTILIZE! If your grass is pale and sluggish at a time of year when it should be growing more vigorously, that means it's time to feed it! Most of the quality fertilizers will last for 8 to 12 weeks, some even longer. For most warm-season grasses in North Texas (St. Augustine, Bermuda, Zoysia), a good rule of thumb is to fertilize April 15, June 15, and September 15.
Fertilizing in the early summer can give warm-season grass (which grows best at about 70 degrees) a boost to grow thick and healthy. Fertilizing at the right time can make grass more heat and drought-resistant. However, if you apply too much, you run the risk of burning your lawn. Grass already gets stressed during the Summer months, so maintain caution when applying fertilizer. Use one that is specially formulated for Summer feedings, and follow the instructions exactly.