5 Ways to Keep Your Texas Yard Lush

Many homeowners spend their weekends manicuring their lawn to maintain its bright green hue. Lawn care doesn’t have to be so time consuming, though! Here are some quick and easy tips to help you keep your yard looking lush.

Sharpen Your Mower Blades

Dull blades will tear into the grass and leave jagged edges. Sharpening your lawnmower’s blades is a simple way to keep your lawn trimmed in straight, clean lines.

You can clean your mower blades with eight simple steps:

Check that the gas tank is empty, or nearly empty, and that the gas cap is securely tightened.
Disconnect the spark plug and tip the mower onto its side.
Remove the blades with a wrench.
Smooth out damage and sharpen the blade edges with a mill file. Maintain the bevel at a 40- or 45-degree angle. Protect your hands by wearing work gloves throughout this process.
Test the blade for balance by placing it on a cone-shaped blade balancer. If the blade tips to one side, file more metal from the opposite side.
Replace the blade.
Refuel the mower.
Test the mower on a firm foundation. Make sure the blades don’t vibrate before mowing grass.

If you occasionally hit a rock with your mower, take the time to sharpen your blades more often.

Water Regularly

Here in the Southern U.S., drought can thwart your plans for a rich, green lawn. In fact, 67 percent of Texas is currently affected by abnormal dryness or drought.

In the summer months, brown turf is inevitable as water needs across the state increase. Don’t worry, though – your lawn isn’t dead. Lack of water will merely send a healthy lawn into dormancy.

Schedule your sprinklers to shower your grass with one inch of water twice daily to keep your lawn properly hydrated during cooler months.

Rake

Keep your lawn healthy by raking your yard frequently to remove seed pods, pine cones and dead flowers throughout the year. Allowing these things to pile up will prevent sunlight from reaching the grass, make raking more cumbersome and damage your lawnmower should you attempt to plow through the debris.

Feed Your Lawn

Like all living things, your lawn needs to be fed. Fertilize your lawn with a mix of slow- and quick-release fertilizers that are rich in nitrogen.

In this case, less is more. High concentrations of nitrogen can end up burning your grass rather than feeding it. Here in Texas, fertilize your lawn during the spring and summer months. Avoid fertilizing dormant grass since it is unable to absorb the nutrients.

Mow High and Often

Mowing your lawn extra short may seem like a time saver, but this practice can damage your lawn. Grass that is cut too short allows pesky weeds to put down roots. When mowing, never chop off more than one-third of the grass’s blade height.

Eliminate Weeds Before They’ve Sprouted

Stop weeds from taking root by covering your lawn with pre-emergent herbicide. Most products control crabgrass and eliminate other hard-to-control weeds by stopping their seeds from sprouting in the first place. Spring is the best time to apply pre-emergent herbicide to your Texas lawn.

Protect Your Luscious Lawn With Austex Fence & Deck

You work hard to keep your lawn looking pristine, so why not go the extra mile to protect it? Having a fence installed is an effective way to protect your yard from animals and intruders while adding privacy to backyard events with your friends and family. At Austex Fence & Deck, we offer a wide variety of fencing materials and styles to ensure you are happy with the results of your project.