Lawn and Sod Articles for Austin Yards
Straight answers on picking a grass, keeping it healthy in Central Texas heat, and getting the ground ready before new sod goes down.
Grass Varieties
Which grass fits your yard, and how to care for each variety we sell.
Amerishade St. Augustine Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Amerishade is the most shade-tolerant St. Augustine we sell, made for shady spots under trees where other grass fails. Here's how to grow it in Austin.
Best Drought-Tolerant Grass for Austin
Austin summers and watering limits are hard on lawns. These four grass varieties handle heat and drought with less irrigation, and here's how they compare.
Best Grass for Austin's Heat and Drought: Bermuda vs. St. Augustine vs. Zoysia
How Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia really hold up in Central Texas heat and drought, and which one fits your Austin yard's sun, traffic and water limits.
Best Grass for Heavy Foot Traffic and Pets in Austin
Kids, dogs and backyard games wear grass down fast. These five varieties are built to take heavy foot traffic in Austin yards and bounce back quickly after.
Best Grass for Shade in Austin
Most grass wants full sun, but these three varieties are bred for shaded Austin yards, from light tree cover to deep shade under big live oaks. Here's the list.
Celebration Bermuda Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Celebration is a dark blue-green Bermuda with the best shade tolerance of any Bermuda. How to mow, water and feed it for kids, pets and Central Texas drought.
Emerald Zoysia Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Emerald Zoysia has an ultra-fine blade and deep color for showpiece front yards. Here's how to care for it in Austin, including why a reel mower matters.
Low-Maintenance Grass Options for Austin Yards
Want a good-looking lawn without a demanding routine? These three Zoysia varieties need the least mowing, feeding and water of any grass we sell in Austin.
Palisades Zoysia Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Palisades Zoysia is low maintenance without giving up looks, and it has excellent cold tolerance. Here's how to mow, water and feed it in Austin yards.
Palmetto St. Augustine Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Palmetto St. Augustine is a go-to for mixed sun and shade: finer blade, darker color and better shade tolerance than Raleigh. How to care for it in Austin.
Raleigh St. Augustine Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Raleigh is the most popular St. Augustine in Central Texas: reliable, affordable and quick to establish. How to mow, water and fertilize it in Austin.
Stadium Zoysia Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Stadium Zoysia is a dense, durable turf built for heavy use and large projects. How to mow, water and fertilize it so it holds up in Austin heat and traffic.
TifTuf Bermuda Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
TifTuf uses 38% less water than standard Bermuda, which makes it a strong fit for drought-prone Central Texas. How to mow, water and feed it in Austin.
Tifway 419 Bermuda Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Tifway 419 is the classic golf fairway grass, dense and tough for full-sun athletic and commercial areas. How to mow, water and fertilize it in Austin.
Zeon Zoysia Grass Care Guide for Austin Lawns
Zeon has the best shade tolerance of any non-St. Augustine grass we carry, low fertilizer needs and a soft, barefoot-friendly feel. How to grow it in Austin.
Lawn Problems & Pests
Yellowing, brown patches, bugs and weeds: how to tell what it is and fix it.
Armyworm Damage: The Bermuda Lawn Threat That Moves Fast
Armyworms can strip a Bermuda or Zoysia lawn in 48 to 72 hours. Learn how to spot them early in Austin and why acting fast matters more than with most pests.
Brown Patch vs. Large Patch: Identifying and Treating Circular Lawn Disease
Brown patch hits St. Augustine and large patch hits Zoysia. Here's how to tell the two apart, treat an active outbreak, and keep them from coming back.
Chinch Bug Damage: How to Identify It and Treat It Fast
Chinch bugs are the top St. Augustine pest in Central Texas. Learn to spot the damage, confirm it with the float test, and treat it before it spreads further.
Common Austin Lawn Problems: Chinch Bugs, Brown Patch, and Take-All Root Rot
Yellow patches, brown circles, grass that won't green up. How to identify the most common lawn problems we see in Austin, from chinch bugs to take-all root rot.
Grass Not Greening Up in Spring? Here's How to Tell Dormant From Dead
Brown grass in early spring is usually dormant, not dead. Try the tug test, and see when each grass type should green up in Central Texas before you replace it.
Grass Turning Yellow? Here's Every Cause and the Fix for Each One
Yellow grass in Austin is usually one of six things: low iron, overwatering, underfeeding, disease, dog spots or dull mower blades. How to tell which it is.
Gray Leaf Spot in St. Augustine Grass: Identification and Treatment
Small gray-brown oval spots on St. Augustine blades in midsummer usually mean gray leaf spot. What causes it in Austin and how to treat it and prevent it.
Take-All Root Rot: Why It's So Easy to Misdiagnose (and How to Treat It)
Take-all root rot causes slow yellowing that looks like a nutrient problem, but the damage is underground. How to identify it correctly and what actually helps.
Thin, Patchy Grass? Here's Why and How to Fix It
Thin grass usually comes from foot traffic, shade, disease or poor rocky soil. How to figure out which one you're dealing with and the right way to repair it.
Weeds in New Sod: Why You Can't Use Weed-and-Feed (and What to Do Instead)
Weed-and-feed herbicides stunt the young roots of new sod. What to do about weeds in the first 60 days, and when it's safe to go back to normal weed control.
Why Are My Grass Blades Curling? Heat Stress vs. Disease
Curling grass blades are usually a normal drought response, especially in Zoysia. How to tell heat stress apart from disease, and when to actually worry.
Lawn Care
Mowing, watering, fertilizing and the routine that keeps an Austin lawn thick.
Dethatching Your Lawn: What It Is and When Austin Grass Needs It
Thatch buildup chokes healthy grass, and Zoysia is the biggest culprit. How to tell if your Austin lawn needs dethatching, when to do it, and how to do it well.
How to Get Deep Green Grass in Austin
Deep green grass comes down to nitrogen, iron and mowing height. How to fix pale or yellow-tinted lawns in Austin and keep them dark green all season long.
Lawn Aeration in Austin: Why and When to Do It
Austin's Blackland clay and Hill Country soils compact hard and choke roots. Why aeration matters more here than most places, and the best months to do it.
MicroLife Fertilizer Application Timing for Austin Lawns
When to apply each MicroLife organic fertilizer on Austin lawns, from spring green-up to fall disease prevention, for Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia.
Recommended Mowing Height for Every Grass Type (Austin)
The right mowing height and frequency for every St. Augustine, Bermuda and Zoysia variety we sell in Austin, plus why cutting too short damages your lawn.
Watering Schedule for St. Augustine Grass in Central Texas
St. Augustine needs more water than Bermuda or Zoysia, and Austin heat makes timing critical. A realistic watering schedule for new and established lawns.
Which MicroLife Fertilizer Do You Need? (Full Guide)
We stock five MicroLife formulas. Which one fixes your problem: yellow grass, alkaline Central Texas soil, slow spring green-up, or brown patch in your lawn.
Installation & Soil Prep
Measuring, timing and ground prep before new sod goes down.
Dealing with Austin's Rocky Hill Country and Clay Soil Before Sodding
Austin sits between Hill Country limestone and Blackland clay, and both make sod prep harder. What to do about rocky or clay soil before new grass goes down.
How Much Sod Do I Need? (Simple Calculator for Austin Lawns)
One pallet of sod covers about 450 sq ft. How to measure your yard, work out how many pallets you need, and avoid ordering too much or too little for your lawn.
How to Prepare Your Yard Before Laying Sod in Austin
Good prep is what makes new sod root fast instead of struggling all season. What to do before delivery day, including what Central Texas clay soil needs.
Soil Types Explained: Clay, Rocky & Limestone Soil for Austin Lawns
Austin has two very different soils, Blackland clay and Hill Country limestone or caliche, and each needs different amendments before sod goes down. Here's how.
When to Plant Sod in Austin: Best Months for Central Texas
Timing is the difference between sod that roots fast and sod that struggles. The best and worst months to lay sod in Austin, and what to do if you plant late.
Want a quick overview instead?
The Lawn Care Guide has mowing heights, watering and fertilizing for every grass we sell.