Lawn Care Articles
44 guides on grass varieties, pests and disease, installation, mowing, and fertilizing — everything we've learned supplying sod across Greater Houston since 2007.
Grass Types
Deep-dive care guides for every St. Augustine, Bermuda, and Zoysia variety we sell.
Amerishade St. Augustine Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Amerishade is the deepest shade-tolerant St. Augustine available — a specialty grass for the ornamental shaded zones where other varieties fail. Here's how to grow it right.
Celebration Bermuda Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Celebration Bermuda is a premium dark blue-green Bermuda with the best shade tolerance of any Bermuda grass — built for sports fields, active families, and pet-friendly yards. Here's how to grow it right.
Emerald Zoysia Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Emerald Zoysia is our showcase grass — ultra-fine blade and deep emerald color for premium front yards, with the lowest mowing frequency of any grass we carry. Here's how to grow it right.
Palisades Zoysia Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Palisades is Houston's best-selling, best-looking overall grass — low maintenance without sacrificing appearance, and one of the few Zoysias that held up through the 2021 freeze. Here's how to grow it right.
Palmetto St. Augustine Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Palmetto St. Augustine is Houston's go-to upgrade for mixed sun and shade yards — finer blade, darker color, and better shade tolerance than Raleigh. Here's how to grow it right.
Raleigh St. Augustine Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Raleigh St. Augustine is Houston's most popular sod — full-sun performance, fast establishment, and the best value for large resods. Here's how to grow it right.
Stadium Zoysia Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Stadium Zoysia is a high-performance turf built for durability and heavy use — a dense, strong surface for large-scale and commercial projects. Here's how to grow it right.
TifTuf Bermuda Grass Care Guide (Houston)
TifTuf is the most water-efficient grass available — UGA-proven to use 38% less water than standard Bermuda, with the fastest establishment and best cold tolerance of any Bermuda. Here's how to grow it right.
Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Tifway 419 is the classic golf course fairway grass — carpet-like density and excellent wear resistance for full-sun athletic and commercial applications. Here's how to grow it right.
Zeon Zoysia Grass Care Guide (Houston)
Zeon has the highest shade tolerance of any non-St. Augustine grass we carry, the lowest fertilizer needs of any variety, and a soft, barefoot-friendly texture. Here's how to grow it right.
Grass Selection
Which grass fits your yard, your city, or your specific problem — shade, drought, traffic, and more.
Best Grass for Heavy Foot Traffic and Pets in Houston
Kids, dogs, backyard games — some grasses just hold up better than others. Here are the five most traffic-tolerant, pet-friendly varieties we carry, compared.
Best Grass for Shade in Houston: Comparing Your Top Options
Most grass wants full sun, but plenty of Houston yards have mature trees and don't get it. Here are the three most shade-tolerant grasses we carry, ranked by how little sun they can actually handle.
Low-Maintenance Grass Options for Houston Yards
Want a great-looking lawn without mowing it twice a week or fertilizing constantly? Here are our lowest-maintenance grass varieties, and what 'low maintenance' actually means for each.
Most Drought-Tolerant Grass for Houston Lawns
Houston summers get brutal, and water restrictions are common. Here are the four most drought-tolerant grasses we carry — including one that's UGA-proven to use 38% less water than standard Bermuda.
St. Augustine vs Bermuda vs Zoysia — Which Is Right for Your Houston Lawn?
Comparing the three most popular warm-season grasses in Houston TX. Here's how they differ on shade tolerance, water use, traffic, maintenance, and cost — so you can pick the right one.
What Grass Grows Best in Conroe TX?
Conroe has lakefront properties, hillside lots near Lake Conroe, and large master-planned neighborhoods like Grand Central Park — all with different grass needs. Here's how to pick the right one.
What Grass Grows Best in Cypress TX?
Cypress has exploded with new construction — Bridgeland, Towne Lake, Marvida, and dozens of other developments. Most builder lots need topsoil prep before sod. Here's what grass works best and how to get your yard right the first time.
What Grass Grows Best in Hockley TX?
Hockley is one of the fastest-growing areas on the Hwy 290 corridor. Most new construction lots here have been stripped of topsoil. Here's what grass to pick and what to do before it goes down.
What Grass Grows Best in Houston TX?
St. Augustine, Bermuda, or Zoysia? Here's how to pick the right grass for your Houston yard based on sun, shade, soil, and how much maintenance you want.
What Grass Grows Best in Katy TX?
Katy homeowners in Cinco Ranch, Firethorne, Elyson, and other master-planned communities deal with strict water restrictions every summer. Here's the best grass for Katy yards — with options for water efficiency, heavy use, and shade.
What Grass Grows Best in Magnolia TX?
Magnolia yards range from deep-shaded wooded lots with mature pines and oaks to wide-open sunny lawns. Here's how to pick the right grass for your specific situation on FM 1774 corridor and beyond.
What Grass Grows Best in Spring TX?
Spring TX has two very different yard environments — the older, tree-heavy Champions area and the newer open developments near Klein and Tomball Pkwy. Here's how to pick the right grass for where you are.
What Grass Grows Best in The Woodlands TX?
The Woodlands has some of the heaviest tree cover of any Houston suburb. Live oaks, pines, and hardwoods mean most yards need a shade-tolerant variety — here's what works and what doesn't.
What Grass Grows Best in Tomball TX?
Tomball's Rosehill side and city side are very different environments. Shaded wooded lots near Spring Creek need different grass than the new development lots along FM 2920. Here's how to pick.
Troubleshooting
Yellowing, brown patches, bugs, and disease — identify what’s wrong and how to fix it.
Armyworm Damage — Identification and Treatment for Houston Lawns
Armyworms can strip a Houston lawn bare in 48-72 hours between August and October. Here's how to catch them early and treat before serious damage.
Brown Patch & Large Patch Lawn Disease — Identification and Treatment
Circular brown patches in your Houston lawn are almost always brown patch (St. Augustine) or large patch (Zoysia). Here's how to tell them apart and treat both.
Chinch Bug Damage — Identification and Treatment for Houston Lawns
Chinch bugs are the #1 St. Augustine pest in Houston. Here's how to spot the damage, confirm it's really chinch bugs, and treat it before they spread.
Grass Not Greening Up in Spring? How to Tell Dormant From Dead
If your lawn is still brown when everyone else's is green, it's usually normal dormancy, not dead grass. Here's the tug test and a timeline for when each grass type should green up.
Grass Turning Yellow? Here's Why (and How to Fix It) in Houston
Yellow grass in Houston usually comes down to one of five causes — iron deficiency, overwatering, underfertilizing, disease, or mower damage. Here's how to tell which one you've got and fix it.
Gray Leaf Spot in St. Augustine Grass — Identification and Treatment
Gray leaf spot causes irregular gray-brown lesions on St. Augustine blades, especially in shade and humidity. Here's how to identify and treat it.
Take-All Root Rot in St. Augustine — Identification and Treatment
Take-all root rot causes yellow patches that don't respond to fertilizer because the problem is in the roots, not the blades. Here's how to identify it and what actually helps.
Thin, Patchy Grass? Here's What's Causing It and How to Fix It
Bare and thinning spots in your lawn usually come down to traffic wear, shade, disease, or poor soil. Here's how to diagnose the cause and bring the grass back.
Weeds Taking Over Your New Sod? Here's What to Do (and Not Do)
Weeds in brand new sod are common and normal — but weed-and-feed products can permanently stunt new roots. Here's the safe way to handle weeds in the first 60 days.
Why Are My Grass Blades Curling? Causes and What to Do
Curling grass blades are usually a heat or drought stress response, not disease. Here's how to tell the difference and when curling means you need to worry.
Installation
What to do before, during, and after new sod goes down.
Best Time to Lay Sod in Houston TX
The best seasons to install sod in Houston TX are spring and early fall — but Houston's mild winters mean you can lay sod year-round with the right care. Here's what to know for each season.
How Much Sod Do I Need? (Simple Calculator for Houston Lawns)
Sod is sold by the pallet, and one pallet covers about 450 sq ft. Here's how to measure your yard, calculate how many pallets you need, and avoid over- or under-ordering.
How to Prepare Your Yard Before Laying Sod — Houston Guide
Proper yard prep is what separates sod that takes root fast and grows thick from sod that struggles all season. Here's exactly what to do before your sod is delivered, including what Houston's clay soil requires.
Soil & Prep
Houston’s clay soil and what it means for your lawn.
Maintenance
Mowing, aeration, dethatching, and keeping an established lawn healthy.
Dethatching Guide: When (and When Not) to Dethatch Your Lawn
A thin layer of thatch is normal and even helpful. Too much chokes your lawn. Here's how to tell the difference, which grasses build up thatch the fastest, and how to fix it.
How to Get Deep Green Grass (Not Just Green — Deep Green)
There's a difference between grass that's technically alive and grass that's that deep, rich green you actually want. Here's what controls color — nitrogen, iron, mowing height, and water — and how to dial each one in.
Lawn Aeration in Houston: Why Your Clay Soil Needs It
Houston's heavy clay soil compacts fast, and compacted soil chokes roots. Here's why aeration matters more here than almost anywhere else, when to do it, and how it fits with your fertilizing schedule.
Recommended Mowing Height for Every Grass Type We Carry
The single biggest mowing mistake is using the wrong height for your grass type. Here's the exact recommended mowing height and frequency for every variety we sell in Houston.
Fertilizing
MicroLife application schedules and picking the right formula.
MicroLife Fertilizer Application Calendar for Houston Lawns
A month-by-month MicroLife fertilizing calendar for Houston lawns — what to apply, when, and why, from spring green-up through fall disease prevention.
Which MicroLife Fertilizer Do You Need? (Full Guide)
We carry five MicroLife formulas in stock and can order over a dozen more. Here's exactly which one fixes your specific problem — yellowing grass, Houston clay, slow green-up, or brown patch.
Still Have Questions?
Call us, stop by the yard, or request a free quote and we'll walk you through your project.