Mid-Summer Landscape Checklist for East Texas

As August approaches, many East Texans are growing weary of the suffocating heat. Sweat begins pooling on our skin the moment we step outside, we start our vehicles early just to cool them down, our local lakes feel more like bathwater than a refreshing escape, our air conditioners struggle to keep up, and our electric bills continue to climb. On top of all that, it can feel like cooler weather is still a long way off.

Many Texans choose to stay indoors during this difficult time of year, but what many don't realize is that their landscapes are struggling just as much as they are.

During this portion of the summer, most plants shift into survival mode rather than focusing on vigorous growth. While many of the trees, shrubs, and grasses commonly found in East Texas are considered drought tolerant, that doesn't mean they're thriving through a stretch of extreme heat. They're simply doing their best to make it through.

Fortunately, there are several things you can do right now to help your landscape stay healthy until cooler weather arrives.

Raise Your Mower Deck

As I've discussed in previous blogs, many homeowners instinctively mow their grass shorter in an attempt to slow its growth. Unfortunately, the opposite often happens.

Removing more than one-third of the grass blade at a time can scalp your lawn and create the perfect environment for weeds to establish themselves. Taller grass shades the soil, keeps soil temperatures lower, reduces evaporation, and encourages deeper root growth, all of which help your lawn handle the summer heat.

Water Deeply Rather Than Frequently

Light watering every day often moistens only the top couple of inches of soil. A better approach is to water deeply during the early morning hours, generally about three times per week, while allowing enough time for the water to soak well below the surface.

This encourages roots to grow deeper into the soil, making your lawn more resilient during dry periods. While many people prefer watering in the evening, deep watering at night can leave grass wet for hours, increasing the risk of fungal diseases. The same principle applies to most trees and shrubs as well.

Check Your Irrigation System

Take a few minutes to inspect your sprinkler system for broken heads, clogged nozzles, uneven coverage, dry spots, oversaturated areas, or leaking valves. Even a single malfunctioning sprinkler can leave portions of your lawn under-watered for weeks before you notice a problem.

Refresh Your Mulch

Summer heat is hard on mulch. Over time it naturally decomposes, washes away during heavy rains, or gets scattered by lawn equipment. This often leaves thin areas around trees and shrubs at the very time they benefit from mulch the most.

Maintaining an adequate layer of mulch helps conserve moisture, regulate soil temperature, suppress weeds, and reduce competition for water. Just remember that more isn't always better. Piling mulch too deeply around plants or tree trunks can actually restrict airflow and create problems for the roots.

Stay Ahead of Weeds

Even during periods of intense heat, weeds continue competing with your landscape for valuable water and nutrients. If left alone, they'll eventually produce seeds, making them even more difficult to control later.

Be especially mindful of aggressive vines like greenbrier and Virginia creeper. These vines can quickly climb into shrubs and eventually smother healthy plants if they aren't removed.

Watch for Heat Stress

Not every brown or wilted plant is dying, but it's still important to monitor for signs of heat stress. Watch for wilting during the hottest part of the day, leaf scorch, curled leaves, premature leaf drop, and plants that fail to recover after sunset.

Identifying these symptoms early often allows you to correct watering issues before permanent damage occurs.

Inspect Trees for Damage

Although rainfall has become less frequent, summer storms can still produce strong winds. Walk around your property and look for hanging limbs, cracked branches, branches rubbing against your home, or limbs blocking visibility near driveways and sidewalks.

Addressing these issues now can prevent far more expensive damage when stronger storms return later in the year.

Monitor for Insects

Late summer is when many landscape pests become more active or easier to notice. Keep an eye out for spider mites on shrubs, chinch bugs in St. Augustine lawns, scale insects, and caterpillar damage.

We certainly appreciate the wildlife that makes East Texas special, but some insects can cause significant damage if they're allowed to go unnoticed.

Walk Your Property Once Each Week

We encourage you to brave the heat for just five or ten minutes each week and walk your property. Use that time to look for the issues discussed above. Most landscape problems are much easier—and far less expensive—to correct when they're caught early.

While you're thinking about your landscape, it's also a great time to begin planning fall projects. Late July and August are excellent months to schedule landscape renovations, drainage improvements, new flower beds, tree and shrub installations, or sod projects. Once cooler weather arrives, many landscaping companies become booked weeks in advance.

If you have projects you'd like completed this fall, now is a great time to request a rough estimate so you can begin planning ahead.

If you have any questions or concerns about your landscape, feel free to contact us at (903) 343-8816 or email us at malachihowden@howdenbrotherslandscaping.com. We're always happy to provide free advice and consultations. We love serving our local communities, and our mission is to keep East Texas beautiful through quality workmanship, customer education, and by glorifying God in everything we do.