The San Antonio Heat vs. Your Lawn
It’s no secret that San Antonio summers are brutal. With temperatures consistently hitting triple digits and SAWS (San Antonio Water System) restrictions frequently in effect, keeping your grass green can feel like a losing battle. However, a lush lawn doesn't require a flood of water—it requires a smart strategy.
At Canopy Land Solutions, we believe in working with the South Texas climate, not against it. Here is the modern approach to keeping your turf resilient during the dog days of summer without wasting a drop.
1. The "Cycle and Soak" Method
In San Antonio, we deal with heavy clay soils or rocky terrain. If you run your sprinklers for 20 minutes straight, half of that water likely runs off into the street before it penetrates the roots.
The Solution: Break your watering times into shorter intervals.
- Instead of running a zone for 15 minutes, run it for 5 minutes.
- Wait an hour to let the water soak in.
- Run it for another 5 minutes, and repeat until the desired amount is applied.
This promotes deep root growth, which is essential for drought tolerance.
2. Raise Your Mowing Height
Scalping your lawn in July is a death sentence for grass. When grass is cut too short, the soil is exposed to direct sunlight, causing rapid moisture evaporation and root stress.
The Rule of Thumb:
- St. Augustine: Keep it at 3.5 to 4 inches.
- Bermuda: Keep it around 1.5 to 2 inches (slightly higher than spring height).
- Zoysia: Aim for 2 to 3 inches.
Taller grass blades shade the soil, keeping the root zone cooler and locking in moisture. Our Landscape Maintenance services strictly adhere to seasonal mowing heights to ensure turf longevity.
3. Sharp Blades Save Water
Dull mower blades tear grass rather than cutting it cleanly. Those frayed edges turn brown quickly and lose water much faster than a clean cut. If your lawn looks greyish-brown or "hazy" a day after mowing, your blades are likely dull. A sharp cut heals quickly, sealing in moisture.
4. Audit Your Irrigation System
A single broken head or a misaligned nozzle spraying the sidewalk can waste hundreds of gallons a month. Furthermore, if you are watering during the heat of the day (between 11 AM and 7 PM), you are losing substantial water to evaporation.
Quick Checklist:
- Check for "geysers" (broken heads).
- Ensure heads are vertical and not tilted.
- Clear grass growing over pop-up heads.
If you suspect your system isn't efficient, contact Canopy Land Solutions for a professional irrigation audit.
5. Pause the Nitrogen
It is tempting to fertilize when the grass looks stressed, but applying high-nitrogen fertilizer during a drought pushes the grass to grow when it should be conserving energy. This leads to fertilizer burn. Instead, consider using iron supplements to maintain green color without forcing rapid growth during heat stress.
Ready for a Resilient Lawn?
You don't have to fight the San Antonio summer alone. Whether you need a precise irrigation tune-up or reliable weekly maintenance that respects the health of your turf, we have you covered.
Contact Canopy Land Solutions today for a free quote. Let's keep your property looking sharp, even when the heat is on.