We're renting and the yard has some spots that have gotten worse from the major heat of san Antonio. we're on water restriction (1x/week), so now isn't the time to plant, as it's also 100 degrees almost every day. We have sprinklers and a soaker hose - there's no sprinkler system for the home.
I'm going to google, but what's your experience been in rescuing yellow patches from major Texas heat? Can it be done without spending tons of $?
It's a lot of effort but you can bucket brigade your grey water. Wash your veg in a basin and pour the water on your lawn. Stop the drain when you shower or bath and haul that out to the lawn. If water shortage is the problem make your water do double duty. The grass won't mind a few suds.
Best
F. B.
I would tell your landlord about it. I would guess that is his/her responsibility.
You got some good lawn tips so far, but what stood out to me is that you're a renter. I've been a renter, and one of those rentals had a summer lawn burn-off situation. The solution was to let the landlord know that the grass is dying off, as a courtesy, because there wasn't much he could do about it at that time either. I did not spend my own money repairing someone else's property.
I would be very surprised if your lease holds you responsible for reseeding or landscaping beyond mowing/trimming. If you have a water bill that you pay directly, it may even be inappropriate to require that you water the lawn, with or without a drought restriction.
Can't help you with the Texas part, but can help you with general lawn tips.
In the heat of the summer, let the grass grow longer than you normally would - longer blades protect the ground from as much drying out. You can cut your lawn shorter in spring and late fall, but not during the heat. When you mow, don't take off more than 1/3 of the blade of grass - too much moisture loss. If you don't have a mulching mower, consider one. The shopped up clippings protect the surface of the soil from moisture loss, and provide free fertilizer. Water less frequently but deeper! If the roots go deep because the soil is wet down deeper, they are stronger. If people just water the surface of the lawn, the roots stay up close to the surface and then are more subject to drought. So on the days you can water, water one section much more thoroughly - an inch a week is great. Put a rain gauge or a simple plastic bowl out to measure what you've put out there via the sprinkler (just check it before evaporation kicks in). Water early or late in the day to limit evaporation. If you can aerate the soil by renting an aerator, great - but be careful about doing it now while the grass is under stress.
Finally, consider some raised vegetable gardens if you are allowed - grass is a cool/rainy weather plant that worked great in England but which, unfortunately, we've tried to import to the US with limited success and tremendous cost to both pocketbook and water tables!
Living in California where we're in the 90s and 100s all summer and just got through a horrible drought, I can reassure you the yellow grass will bounce back. Everyone here had yellow grass the past couple years (in fact, if you had green grass, be prepared for ugly looks and plenty of grass shaming on Nextdoor). Soon as we had our very wet winter last year and could water again this summer, it all came back.
There's not much you can do except to try not to walk much on it, when you cut it - try leaving it a little longer (too short stresses it), and if you are going to throw some grass seed on it - do that in the fall (it'll put down roots over the winter and be better established in the spring).
Since it's so hot and dry right now, when you are allowed to water it, do it at night so the water can sink into the grass roots and soil instead of evaporating away in the heat of the day.
Do you know if people are walking their dogs and allowing them to pee on your lawn?
That can burn grass out pretty bad.
We've had a few bad drought years - where the grass was brown and crunchy.
Just leave it and the next rainy season brings it back.
I was having our son cut the grass, but it was cut too short (length is key) and now our lawn is pretty brown in areas and that's here on the east coast where it's not nearly as hot as where you are.
What we have done is to just scratch up the soil and sprinkle seed and just heavily water those areas in the evening. Might not work, but that's the only thing I can suggest to repair the patches.
We never water during the day - as others have mentioned it just gets evaporated and tends to make our grass looked cooked.
Good luck. Our lawn looks pretty pathetic at the moment.
