Summer Grass Care in Houston: Pro Tips for a Healthy Lawn
By Michael Romine – Houston Grass
As we head into the heart of summer, lawn care gets a whole lot trickier in the Houston area. The mild spring days are gone, and now we’re staring down months of heat, humidity, and long dry spells. If you want to keep your yard green and healthy through it all, now’s the time to step up your game.
In this post, I’ll share what you need to know about summer grass care—from watering strategies and mowing tips to preventing fungus and fighting off pests. Whether you’re maintaining an established lawn or laying new sod, these insights will help your yard survive—and even thrive—through the toughest season of the year.
Fungus Problems in the Summer
Watch Out for Gray Leaf Spot & Summer Patch
Houston’s hot, humid summers are the perfect environment for fungal diseases like gray leaf spot and summer patch. You’ll typically see these problems in shaded or overwatered areas, or in grass with lots of nitrogen (which is what makes new sod so lush and green when it leaves our farm).
Gray leaf spot shows up as tiny brown spots (called lesions) on grass blades. These grow and multiply, eventually killing the blade if left untreated. Summer patch creates irregular yellow or brown patches—not the perfect circles of brown patch, but still trouble.
💡 Best solution: Use Heritage G fungicide—and apply it preventively if you can. The preventive rate uses less product and saves money. If you wait until you see symptoms, you’ll need to double up.
New Sod in the Shade? Apply Fungicide Early
If you’re planting new grass in shady areas—especially Palmetto St. Augustine—go ahead and treat with Heritage G on day one. Apply it again two to three weeks later. This small step goes a long way toward keeping your new grass healthy.
Insects That Can Wreck Your Lawn
Sod Webworms: The Sneaky Night Feeders
Sod webworms start as harmless-looking moths that fly up from the grass in the morning. Those moths lay eggs, which turn into larvae that come out at night and chew up your lawn.
Early signs include:
- Chewed grass in patches
- Thin spiderwebs over holes in the lawn (easiest to see with morning dew)
Spray Cyonara liquid insecticide at the first sign. It attaches to your hose and kills on contact. You’ll need to treat multiple times over 10 days to catch every stage of the life cycle.
Chinch Bugs: A Problem in Dry Lawns
Chinch bugs thrive in drought-stressed lawns—especially in sunny spots near concrete like driveways and sidewalks. Once they hit, the damage is permanent.
🛑 If you’ve been putting off watering to save money on your water bill, this is when trouble starts. Once chinch bugs attack, you’ll need to spray with insecticide, remove the dead sod, and replace it. That grass won’t come back on its own.
Watering Tips for Summer Grass Care
One Inch Per Week (At Least!)
In Houston, rain isn’t always reliable in the summer. Aim for one inch of water per week, ideally split into two half-inch applications.
Why deep watering matters:
Shallow, frequent watering only wets the top layer, which makes your grass weak and more susceptible to disease and drought. Deep watering encourages roots to grow deeper, creating a stronger plant.
How to Measure
Use cheap rain gauges or tuna cans to measure how much water your sprinklers are putting down. Don’t guess—measure.
Typical times:
- Pop-up spray heads: 15 minutes per zone
- Rotor heads (moving): 25–30 minutes per zone
- Manual sprinklers: May take up to 4 hours to hit one inch
When to Water
- Best time: Early morning
- If you see signs of fungus, wait until closer to sunrise so the grass doesn’t sit wet for too long.
- Avoid watering at night—it promotes fungal growth.
💡 Pro tip: If you know your lawn service is mowing on Thursday, schedule a watering session for Friday morning. Freshly cut grass needs the boost.
Planting New Grass in the Summer
We often say spring is the best time to plant grass. But if you’ve got a big dead patch and can’t wait until fall, you can lay new sod in summer—you just have to be diligent about watering.
Day One: Saturate It
Water the new sod for 8 to 10 hours on the first day. Yes, really. You’re aiming for two inches of water to fully soak the sod and help it stick to the soil below.
Avoid trying to do this with a garden hose—use a sprinkler or irrigation system for even coverage.
Weeks One and Two: Stay On It
- Water one inch every day for the first two weeks
- Then slowly begin tapering back to every other day
- By week three, you can start shifting toward a normal watering routine if it’s rooting well
🚨 Don’t go on vacation after laying sod!
New grass needs daily attention. Even a short break from watering in the summer heat can kill it.
Summer Mowing Best Practices
Raise Your Mower Height
During the heat of summer, resist the urge to mow your lawn short. Instead, raise your mowing height by half an inch or more.
- Taller grass helps shade the soil
- It holds moisture longer and protects the roots
- In shaded areas, go even taller—up to 4.5 inches
Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single mowing. Scalping the grass weakens it, especially in extreme heat.
Wrapping Up: Stay Ahead of Summer Stress
Whether you’re battling fungus, spotting webworms, or watching the skies for rain, summer grass care means staying ahead of problems before they get out of hand.
Here’s a quick recap:
✅ Apply fungicide preventively in humid, shady areas
✅ Watch for sod webworms and chinch bugs, and treat quickly
✅ Water deeply, not frequently—aim for an inch a week or more
✅ New sod in summer? Be ready to water daily
✅ Raise your mower height and avoid scalping
With the right approach and a little extra effort, your lawn can stay thick and green—even during the hottest months of the year.
Have questions or need help choosing the right products? Give us a call at 281-431-7441 or come by and see us in Rosharon. We’re here to help!
📅 We’ll be back with more tips at the end of June. Until then—stay cool and water smart!
