Weekly Insight Week 27
Growing Grass in the Desert Starts Here
June 28 - July 4, 2026
Summer Lawn Stress in West Texas
Understanding Heat, Irrigation, Disease, and Recovery
Current Conditions in San Angelo
As we prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July and America's 250th birthday next week, I want to wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday with family and friends. The Fourth of July is one of my favorite times of the year. We gather around the grill, spend time outside, and naturally want our lawns looking their very best.
Unfortunately, this is also one of the most stressful times of the year for warm-season turfgrass.
Yesterday, our soil temperature reached an incredible 115°F. Our current five-day average soil temperature is 97.7°F. According to the Rain Gauge app, San Angelo has received 10.93 inches of rainfall this year, approximately 0.15 inches above normal.
Even with above-normal rainfall, many homeowners are beginning to notice brown spots, thinning turf, and areas that appear to be declining.
Every day at BES-TEX Supply we hear the same two questions:
"Do I need more water?"
"Do I have a fungus?"
The answer is often more complicated than either question.
Your Lawn Lives Below the Surface
Most homeowners judge the health of their lawn by what they see above ground.
Your grass judges its health by what is happening below the surface.
Healthy roots require three things:
• Water
• Oxygen
• Moderate soil temperatures
When soil temperatures climb above 100°F, root systems begin experiencing stress. As temperatures continue climbing, the grass must work harder simply to survive.
When irrigation is excessive, oxygen is pushed out of the soil.
When nighttime temperatures remain in the 70s, the plant has very little opportunity to recover from the heat accumulated during the day.
The result is a weaker plant that becomes increasingly vulnerable to environmental stress and disease.
Simply put...
Most lawns don't become diseased first. They become stressed first.
Why Irrigation Is So Difficult in West Texas
If there is one lesson I've learned over the past 23 years, it's this:
There is no perfect irrigation schedule.
West Texas presents challenges that many parts of the country simply don't experience.
Our soils commonly range between a pH of 8.0 and 8.5.
Our irrigation water contains high levels of dissolved minerals.
Our winds dramatically increase evaporation.
Our summer temperatures routinely exceed 100°F.
Rainfall can change dramatically from one week to the next.
No irrigation controller can recognize those changing conditions.
Only the homeowner can.
One inch of rain should change your irrigation schedule.
A cooler week should change your irrigation schedule.
A week of extreme heat should change your irrigation schedule.
The lawn should determine the irrigation schedule, not the calendar.
Too Much Water Can Look Like Too Little Water
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is increasing irrigation every time they notice brown grass.
Ironically, too much water often produces symptoms that closely resemble drought stress.
When soils remain saturated:
• Oxygen levels decline.
• Root systems become shallow.
• Root growth slows.
• Disease pressure increases.
• Recovery becomes much more difficult.
Roots need oxygen every bit as much as they need water.
Healthy turf develops where water and oxygen exist together.
Deep, infrequent irrigation generally promotes healthier root systems than light, frequent watering. However, every lawn is different, so always adjust irrigation based on your soil, weather, and actual moisture conditions.
Understanding Summer Disease
One disease we occasionally encounter during West Texas summers is Pythium.
Pythium favors:
• High temperatures
• Warm nighttime temperatures
• Excessive irrigation
• Wet foliage
• Poor air circulation
• Stressed turf
Notice something important.
Every one of those conditions involves environmental stress before disease develops.
That doesn't mean every brown spot is Pythium.
Nor does it mean every lawn needs a fungicide.
Proper diagnosis should always come before treatment.
Fungicides are valuable tools when disease is correctly identified, but they cannot correct poor irrigation practices, excessive heat, or unhealthy root systems.
Mowing Height Matters
Mowing is one of the easiest cultural practices to improve during extreme summer weather.
Removing too much leaf tissue forces the plant to spend energy replacing leaves rather than supporting the root system.
During periods of extreme heat:
• Keep mower blades sharp.
• Never remove more than one-third of the leaf blade.
• Consider raising the mowing height slightly.
A little extra leaf canopy helps shade the soil, reduce evaporation, and moderate soil temperatures around the crown of the plant.
Fertility Builds Stronger Lawns
Healthy lawns begin months before summer arrives.
Spring fertilization encourages strong root development and dense turf.
Fall fertilization helps replenish carbohydrate reserves before winter dormancy and supports root growth heading into the next growing season.
During periods of extreme summer heat, avoid excessive nitrogen applications intended to force rapid growth.
A healthy plant recovers from stress much more efficiently than a weak plant.
Recovery Begins Below Ground
If your lawn has already developed damaged areas, don't panic.
Many warm-season grasses still have healthy crowns and green stolons beneath the damaged leaf tissue.
Recovery begins by correcting the original source of stress.
Lightly rake away loose dead material to expose healthy stolons.
Improve soil oxygen through core aeration or by opening the soil with a garden fork or similar tool.
If appropriate, soil-improving products such as biochar can help improve soil structure and create a better environment for root recovery.
Correct irrigation before expecting the lawn to recover.
Remember...
You are rebuilding the root system first.
The green grass will follow.
If I Were Standing in Your Yard...
If I were standing in your yard today, I probably wouldn't reach for a fungicide first.
I'd start asking questions.
How often are you watering?
Has your irrigation schedule changed since our recent rainfall?
Is the soil actually dry four inches below the surface?
Have you checked your sprinkler coverage?
Have you mowed shorter than normal?
Only after answering those questions would I decide whether a fungicide is actually needed.
After looking at thousands of lawns over the years, I've learned that most summer lawn problems aren't caused by one thing.
They're usually the result of several stresses working together.
That's why I always try to identify the cause before treating the symptom.
Sometimes the answer is a fungicide.
Sometimes it's changing the irrigation schedule.
Sometimes it's raising the mowing height.
Sometimes it's simply giving the lawn time to recover.
Final Thoughts
Successful lawn care isn't about using more products.
It's about understanding how heat, irrigation, mowing, fertility, and disease work together.
When those pieces are managed correctly, your lawn becomes healthier, stronger, and much more capable of handling a West Texas summer.
Thank you for allowing BES-TEX Supply to be part of your lawn and landscape success. If your lawn is struggling, bring us a sample, send us a picture, or stop by the store. We'll work through the problem together and develop a plan that fits your lawn, your soil, and your conditions.
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