A beautiful and healthy lawn is a great addition to any home. Naturally, you want a lawn that provides a relaxing space for you and your family.
So how do you protect your lawn so it can survive the summer heat? You can work with Hill Country Fertilizer, and we’ll help you put together a treatment plan for your lawn. It will be personalized to your type of grass, the soil, and the Central Texas climate we live in.
There is no one size fits all to lawn care, which is why we work with each customer to reach their specific goals. A proper treatment plan can significantly improve the health and appearance of your lawn.
(There’s an often forgotten benefit of a healthy lawn: it improves the air quality around your home.)
In Central Texas, there are 4 different types of grass that are most commonly found, each with their own quirks. If you want to understand what’s involved with proper lawn care before you commit, here are some tips and examples for crafting a personalized treatment plan for your lawn.
Troubleshooting Your Lawn’s Needs
Several factors determine the health and growth of your lawn, such as soil type, grass type, weather conditions, and the amount of sunlight and water it receives. Conducting a soil test is an excellent way to determine the nutrient level of your soil and identify any deficiencies or imbalances that need to be addressed.
If your lawn is distressed, there are a few potential causes of things like yellow spots, or yellowing grass that spreads. It could be a nutrient is missing, a fungus going on, or a pest in the grass. Any of those 3 issues require extra attention and special application just for your personal lawn.
After we analyze your lawn to assess the cause of the distress, if necessary we’ll mix a special tank, and apply it just for your lawn. You’ll then see results within 3 weeks. 
Factor in Your Grass Type
The most common grass types found in Central Texas are Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, Zoysia grass, and Buffalo Grass.
Bermuda grass is a warm-season grass that grows best in full sun, while St. Augustine grass is a warm-season grass that thrives in partial shade.
Zoysia grass is also a warm-season grass that can tolerate both full sun and partial shade.
Buffalo Grass is a popular warm-season choice for lawns in Central Texas due to its drought tolerance and low maintenance requirements.
How do I know what type of grass I have?
To identify the type of grass in your lawn, you can look at the shape, color, and texture of the grass blades. You can also look at the growth habits. You’ll see how the grass spreads in your yard, and how deep its root system is.
For each grass type and circumstance we’ll respond with the appropriate plan, which is why there’s not a one size fits all solution for your lawn.
When you get a free quote through our website, you’ll find packages that provide an excellent starting point. Then we can refine our approach as observe how our lawn responds.
If you talk with us further and find out you mistakenly identified the grass in your quote, not to worry. The instant quote is about getting you started on a good enough plan. Get Instant Quote
We’ll work with you to get your lawn to where you want it to be, with care and plenty of time for you to get the results you’re hoping for.
Bermuda Grass
Bermuda grass has a fine texture and a blue-green color. It has a deep root system and is highly tolerant of drought, heat, and heavy foot traffic.
How to identify it: Bermuda grass spreads quickly through runners and can be identified by its V-shaped leaf blades and sharp points at the tips.
St. Augustine Grass
St. Augustine grass has a coarse texture and a dark green color. It has a shallow root system and prefers moist soil conditions.
How to identify it: St. Augustine grass spreads through above-ground runners and can be identified by its broad leaf blades with rounded tips.
Zoysia Grass
Zoysia grass has a medium texture and a light to medium green color. It has a deep root system and is highly tolerant of drought, heat, and heavy foot traffic.
How to identify it: Zoysia grass spreads through both above-ground runners and below-ground rhizomes and can be identified by its dense growth habit and fine leaf blades that are folded along the midrib.
Buffalo Grass
Buffalo grass is a fine-bladed grass that creates a dense, low-growing turf with a blue-green color.
How to identify it: Buffalo grass spreads by stolons or above-ground runners, which can help it establish a dense and uniform lawn. With proper care and maintenance, buffalo grass can form a thick and lush lawn over time. However, it may take longer to establish compared to other warm-season grasses such as Bermuda grass or Zoysia grass.
If you’re still unsure, you can ask our lawn care experts for help! We offer a free quote, and we can help you determine what kind of grass is in your lawn as part of that process. Get Instant Quote
Determine Your Lawn’s Exposure
The amount of sunlight your lawn receives will also impact its health. If your lawn is in a shady area, it may need more frequent watering and less fertilizer than a lawn that receives full sun. Make note of the areas of your lawn that receive full sun, partial sun, and full shade so you can adjust your treatment plan accordingly.
Choose the Right Fertilizer
We treat each lawn individually and adjust the fertilizer based on the type of grass. For most yards, we apply a generic fertilizer. However, it’s common for 15-20% of the lawns we treat to respond poorly to generic fertilizer. So then we create a custom fertilizer based on an analysis of the distressed lawn.
Fertilizers contain three primary nutrients that are essential for lawn growth – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, the quantity and proportion of these nutrients may vary depending on the soil type and grass type.
For example, Bermuda grass requires a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content to promote green growth, while St. Augustine grass needs a balanced fertilizer that contains all three nutrients in equal proportions.
Zoysia grass requires a slow-release fertilizer to prevent excessive growth.
In general, Buffalo grass requires less water and fertilizer than other grasses, making it a low-maintenance option.
There are also organic and synthetic fertilizers to choose from, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. If you’re attempting to do this yourself, care involves applying the fertilizer correctly, and with a consistent schedule. Fertilizer applications should be timed according to the grass’s growth cycle and the climate in your area.
If this sounds like a lot of hassle and you’d rather not deal with it, request a free quote so you can accurately plan for what your lawn needs. We’ll be happy to help.
Schedule Regular Maintenance
As part of crafting a personalized treatment plan for your lawn, we’ll work with you to schedule regular maintenance to keep it healthy. This includes mowing, watering, and aerating as needed.
Water Your Lawn Regularly
Watering is a crucial aspect of lawn care that can significantly affect the effectiveness of fertilizer applications. Watering should be done regularly and deeply to encourage deep root growth and prevent moisture stress.
Grass-specific tips: Bermuda grass requires more water than St. Augustine and Zoysia grasses, and all grass types benefit from regular watering in the early morning or late afternoon to minimize evaporation.
Maintain Consistent Mowing Practices
This is crucial to ensure the health and appearance of your lawn. Mowing any lawn too low can damage the grass and expose the soil to heat and moisture stress, while mowing too high can shade the lower parts of the grass, reducing its ability to photosynthesize and grow. 
Bringing Order to Your Lawn
Crafting a personalized treatment plan for your lawn may seem overwhelming at first, but it’s an essential step in achieving a healthy lawn.
If you’re unsure about any aspect of lawn care, don’t hesitate to arrange a free quote with Hill Country Fertilization.
We’ll be glad to help you craft a personalized treatment plan, specific to your home and your grass! Call us at 512-277-4844
