WEEKLY INSIGHT
Week 31: July 26 - Aug 1, 2026
Understanding the Soil Beneath Our Feet
Part 4 of 4
Building Healthier Soil in West Texas
Concho Valley Conditions
Week 31 • July 26, 2026
What a difference a few weeks can make.
After spending much of the summer watching our lawns struggle through intense heat and dry conditions, Mother Nature finally gave the Concho Valley a much-needed break.
As of this week, our local rain gauge has recorded 15.21 inches of rainfall for 2026. That's 3.02 inches above our year-to-date average, and the difference is showing across West Texas.
According to the Syngenta GreenCast Turf App, our 5-day average soil temperature is 96.7°F, right where we'd expect warm-season grasses like Bermuda to be actively growing. Even more encouraging, soil moisture currently measures 31.26%, compared to a 5-year average of 28.3% and a 10-year average of 27.1%. Simply put, our soils are entering August with good moisture reserves.
The forecast for the coming week calls for morning temperatures in the mid-70s and afternoon highs between 98°F and 101°F, with little to no chance of additional rainfall.
That means the rain we recently received becomes even more valuable. Every inch that soaked into the soil is now supporting root growth, helping lawns recover from summer stress, and reducing irrigation demands as we move into what is often one of the hottest months of the year.
Over the past several weeks, many homeowners have asked about hot spots, thinning Bermuda grass, and patchy areas in their lawns. While some landscapes certainly experienced disease or insect activity, many were simply responding to prolonged heat and moisture stress. Today, many of those lawns are already showing signs of recovery. Others may still have underlying issues such as poor irrigation coverage, compacted soils, insect activity, or disease that require additional attention.
As we conclude our July series, one lesson has become very clear.
Healthy lawns don't begin with fertilizer. They don't begin with irrigation. They begin with healthy soil.
Can We Improve Our Soil?
The answer is yes, but probably not in the way most people think.
We cannot change the basic texture of our soil.
If your yard has clay soil today, it will still be clay soil years from now.
What we can improve is how that soil functions.
That's where good management makes all the difference.
Four Ways to Build Better Soil
1. Protect Your Soil Structure
Healthy soil contains thousands of tiny spaces that hold both water and air.
Avoid driving, parking, or repeatedly walking on saturated soils whenever possible.
Repeated traffic slowly compresses those spaces, making it harder for water, oxygen, and roots to move through the soil.
Healthy roots need room to grow.
2. Increase Organic Matter
Most West Texas soils naturally contain relatively little organic matter.
Grass clippings, compost, mulched leaves, and healthy root systems gradually improve soil structure over time.
Organic matter helps soil:
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Hold moisture longer.
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Improve water infiltration.
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Feed beneficial microorganisms.
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Improve soil structure.
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Store nutrients more efficiently.
Improvement doesn't happen overnight, but every season builds upon the last.
3. Water Deeply, Not Constantly
One of the most common irrigation mistakes is watering too often for short periods.
Frequent shallow watering encourages shallow roots.
Deep, less frequent irrigation encourages roots to follow moisture deeper into the soil profile, making the turf more resilient during hot weather.
Remember, the goal isn't simply applying water.
The goal is helping water reach the root system where it's needed most.
4. Feed the Soil, Not Just the Grass
Fertilizer is important.
But fertilizer alone doesn't create healthy soil.
Healthy soils support bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and countless other organisms that recycle nutrients and help plants thrive.
When the soil becomes healthier, the plants growing in it become healthier too.
Healthy Soil Takes Time
One heavy rain doesn't create healthy soil.
Neither does one fertilizer application.
Healthy soil is built over years through good management.
Every proper mowing.
Every irrigation cycle.
Every aeration.
Every addition of organic matter.
Every season.
They all contribute to healthier soil.
Science Behind the Soil
Soil Biology
Healthy soil is alive.
A single handful of healthy soil contains billions of microorganisms working every day to recycle nutrients, decompose organic matter, improve soil structure, and support healthy root systems.
Most of that activity takes place where we never see it.
Yet it's responsible for much of what we admire above the ground.
Wrapping Up Our July Series
Over the past four weeks we've explored the foundation of every healthy landscape.
Part 1
Why San Angelo's soils are different from much of Texas.
Part 2
What healthy soil is actually made of.
Part 3
Why water moves differently through different soils.
Part 4
How proper management improves soil over time.
Our goal wasn't simply to teach soil science.
It was to help explain why every lawn, tree, shrub, and flower growing in West Texas begins below the surface.
Closing Thoughts
When people admire a beautiful lawn, they usually notice the lush green grass.
When they walk beneath a healthy shade tree, they admire the canopy.
When colorful shrubs bloom each spring, they notice the flowers.
Very few people stop to think about the soil beneath them.
Yet that's where every healthy landscape begins.
Our West Texas soils may never be perfect, and they don't need to be. By understanding how they work and making good management decisions year after year, we can grow healthier, more resilient landscapes that use water wisely and better withstand the challenges of our climate.
Thank you for joining us throughout our July series. We hope these articles have given you a greater appreciation for the living system beneath your feet and a better understanding of why healthy soil is the foundation of every successful landscape.
About BES-TEX Supply
Since 2003, BES-TEX Supply has helped homeowners, landscapers, ranchers, and pest management professionals across West Texas make better decisions through science-based education and quality products.
Our goal isn't simply to sell products. It's to help you understand why solutions work.
If you have a question about your lawn, trees, shrubs, irrigation, or pest management, stop by the store, give us a call, or send us a photo. If we don't know the answer, we'll research it with you.
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About BES-TEX Supply
Since 2003, BES-TEX Supply has helped homeowners, landscapers, ranchers, and pest management professionals across West Texas make better decisions through science-based education and quality products.
Our goal isn't simply to sell products. It's to help you understand why solutions work.
If you have a question about your lawn, trees, shrubs, irrigation, or pest management, stop by the store, give us a call, or send us a photo. If we don't know the answer, we'll research it with you.
HAPPY SUNDAY FUNDAY
