BROWSE HOW TOs

How to Care for a Warm-Season Lawn

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

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

Step1

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.

Step2

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.

Step3

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.

Step4

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

Step5

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.