Why Is Your East Texas Lawn Growing Like Crazy Right Now?

Have you been mowing your lawn every week but suddenly noticed that it looks overgrown after just four or five days? Or maybe you normally mow every other week, but now your mower can barely handle the tall grass. Does your lawn actually look greener now than it did in May and June, when it was supposed to be lush and thriving? Does it feel impossible to keep up with?

If so, you're not imagining things. Let's talk about why this is happening despite the extreme summer heat we've been experiencing.

We have had a strange year in East Texas, especially during the spring. Many homeowners watched their lawns slip into survival mode at a time when they should have been actively growing. Dry, barren patches became common, weeds seemed to appear overnight, and grass growth slowed dramatically. If you remember, the City of Tyler even encouraged residents to conserve water during the unusually dry spring.

Fast forward to today, and the situation has almost completely reversed. Many homeowners now have healthy, rapidly growing lawns that seem to outpace even well-maintained mowing equipment. At first glance, it doesn't seem to make much sense.

The biggest reason is the recent rainfall. Over the past couple of weeks, East Texas has received enough rain to replenish soil moisture across much of the area. Our most common turfgrasses—Bermuda, St. Augustine, Zoysia, and Centipede—are all warm-season grasses. While they may look stressed during prolonged drought, they actually thrive in hot weather when adequate moisture is available.

July's long days also contribute to this surge in growth. Although we've already passed the summer solstice, we still receive plenty of daylight. More sunlight means more photosynthesis, and more photosynthesis gives your lawn the energy it needs to produce new growth.

If you fertilized your lawn in late spring or early summer, that can also play a role. Nutrients remaining in the soil may become more readily available after periods of heavy rainfall, giving your grass another boost.

With all that growth, frequent mowing becomes more important than ever. One of the best guidelines to follow is the "one-third rule," which simply means you should avoid removing more than one-third of the grass blade during a single mowing. If you'd like a more detailed explanation, I recommend reading our first blog post, 10 Reasons for Weekly Lawn Care in East Texas. In short, allowing grass to become too tall between mowings increases the risk of scalping, creates excessive clippings, puts additional strain on your equipment, and provides more opportunities for weeds to establish themselves.

One mistake we strongly recommend avoiding is mowing your lawn too short. Many East Texans think, "If I cut it really low, I won't have to mow as often." Unfortunately, the opposite is often true.

Cutting your lawn too short creates a chain reaction of problems. It stresses the grass, exposes the soil to direct sunlight, increases moisture loss, weakens the root system, encourages weed growth, and often leads to brown patches. During July, it's generally healthier to maintain your lawn at a slightly taller height than you might during the spring.

Looking ahead, it appears we may be entering another dry spell. If that happens, regular watering may once again become important, even if we receive an occasional thunderstorm. One interesting thing about East Texas storms is that they often produce heavy runoff before the water has a chance to soak deeply into the soil. Don't assume that one big storm after a long dry period will completely restore soil moisture.

Here are a few interesting facts to keep in mind:

• A healthy Bermuda lawn can grow well over an inch per week during ideal summer conditions.

• Grass blades are essentially tiny solar panels. Removing too much leaf tissue limits the plant's ability to produce energy.

• Taller grass shades the soil, helping conserve moisture during the intense East Texas heat.

• Thick, healthy turf is one of the best natural weed preventers because it blocks sunlight from reaching weed seeds.

Rapid summer growth is actually a sign that your lawn is healthy and taking advantage of favorable growing conditions, so don't be too alarmed by it. By mowing at the proper height, watering wisely, and keeping up with regular maintenance, you can enjoy a thick, healthy lawn throughout the hottest part of the East Texas summer—without creating problems that steal valuable time away from your family or keep you outside longer than necessary in the Texas heat.