How to Care for a Warm-Season Lawn

Warm-season lawns made of Bermuda, zoysia, or St. Augustine grass need regular fertilizing, consistent moisture, and frequent mowing to stay healthy and beautiful.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Garden Hoses And Attachments
• Lawn Aerator
• Lawn Fertilizers
• Lawn Mowers
• Lawn Seed
• Drop Spreader

1. Mow the lawn when it is a third higher than its recommended mowing height. Leave clippings on the lawn. They'll add nutrients and organic matter as they break down.

2. Fertilize with a high-nitrogen fertilizer every six to eight weeks from late spring until early fall. Feeding later or earlier wastes nutrients and harms your lawn.

3. Water to supplement rainfall. In dry summer areas, most warm-season lawns need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Water deeply two or three times a week.

4. Aerate every year or two. Aerating increases oxygen to the roots and improves water penetration.

5. Control weeds, insects, and disease, if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• You can rent a power aerator at local rental yards.
• Planting grass that is well adapted to your area is one of the most important steps toward keeping a beautiful, healthy lawn.
• A well-cared-for lawn usually stays healthy. If signs of disease or insect damage do occur, seek help identifying and controlling the problem from an experienced nurseryman.
• Overwatering and overfertilizing can damage your lawn, contribute to pollution, and waste valuable resources.