The Weekly Insight Week 10
Growing Grass in the Desert Starts Here
March 1 - 7, 2026
From My Side of the Counter
Spring officially arrives March 20. That is 19 days away. But if you are paying attention, the season has already shifted.
Soil temperatures are rising. Daylight is longer. Grass is responding. Trees are swelling buds. Shrubs are pushing new growth from the base.
Seasons do not flip like a light switch. They transition.
Landscapes respond below ground first. Roots wake up before leaves show color. Microbial life increases before we ever see it. The work starts where nobody is looking.
Life works the same way.
Preparation, discipline, and patience show up later as visible growth.
Nothing stays dormant forever.
We have rain in the forecast this week. That makes me happy. Moisture and heat together move the entire system forward.
What the Soil Temperature Is Telling Us
5-day soil average: 69.3°
24-hour average: 75.7°
That is active soil.
When soil temperatures approach 70°, the whole landscape shifts:
• Turf roots enter active growth
• Trees and shrubs begin feeder root flush
• Nutrient uptake increases
• Microbial activity accelerates
• Summer annual weeds begin germinating
• Ant colonies begin moving upward
What you see above ground is simply the result of what is happening below ground.
This is why we do not manage by calendar. We manage by soil temperature.
Green turf right now is temperature driven. Not fertilizer driven.
Fertilizer enhances active growth. It does not create it.
What We’re Doing Right Now
Turf
We are still encouraging Bermuda scalping before full green-up.
Hybrid Bermudas respond best when 95–100% of dormant canopy is removed. Dormant material insulates the soil surface. When removed:
• Soil warms faster
• Light reaches the crown
• Air circulation improves
• Early weed competition decreases
• Green-up accelerates
Order matters:
-
Scalp
-
Apply pre-emergent
-
Sweep hard surfaces
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Water in ½ inch
Pre-emergent must be irrigated into the soil. It forms a barrier in the upper soil profile. Sitting on top does nothing.
Trees and Shrubs
This is a safe window to fertilize ornamentals.
Root systems are active. Nutrient uptake has begun. Slow-release sources are preferred to prevent excessive top growth.
Mulch refresh is appropriate now. Two to three inches deep, not piled against trunks. Mulch moderates soil temperature and moisture as the season transitions.
Pruning is wrapping up on winter deciduous plants. Once active growth accelerates, pruning response changes.
Insects
With rainfall and warming soil, ant activity will increase. Moisture shifts colony behavior. Expect surface mounds to appear after rain events.
The system is waking up across the board.
Best Management Practices (BMPs)
Ant Control in the Landscape
Ant control is colony management, not mound management.
Granular baits are effective when ants are actively foraging. Workers carry bait back to the colony.
Liquid concentrates create perimeter barriers around structures and hardscape edges.
Dusts are ideal for cracks, crevices, and direct mound or void treatment. They provide long residual when kept dry.
Best results often combine methods:
Bait for colony elimination.
Liquid for perimeter protection.
Dust for targeted control.
Moisture increases activity. Timing is favorable.
Scalping Bermuda (Early Season Reset)
Remove excess dormant canopy before full growth takes off.
Lower mowing height gradually. Remove 95–100% of brown material. Bag debris.
Do not scalp St. Augustine aggressively.
Zoysia should only be cut to visible green tissue.
Bermuda stores energy below ground. Removing dormant top growth stimulates growth rather than harming it.
This is the only time of year aggressive scalping is recommended.
Talk Shop
If you want to understand what your fertilizer numbers mean, we’ll explain nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
If you want to understand how active ingredients work instead of just buying a name on a bag, we’ll talk chemistry.
If you are unsure whether to scalp, fertilize, or wait, bring pictures.
Our goal is simple. Give you the information so you can make the right decision for your property.
If you don’t know your chemicals, know your chemical man.
BES-TEX Supply
4512 Adobe Dr., San Angelo, TX
325.653.1300
www.BES-TEX.com
Payment Terms: At BES-TEX Supply, we accept all major credit cards (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express), as well as personal checks & cash. Please note that all sale items must be paid for at the time of purchase. We do not offer net 30 terms on sale items.