Lawn Watering and Maintenance Tips for San Antonio
Growing a green, healthy lawn in San Antonio is bound to increase your home’s curb appeal and gives you a space for outdoor activities, entertaining family and friends, or simply relaxing. Lawn care is also an enjoyable hobby in The Alamo City as the warm and sunny climate allows you to spend much of the year outdoors. Year-round lawn maintenance requires knowledge about the best time of day to water, which grasses are best for your property, how to water based on your soil type, and what to expect with some seasonal changes. Our list of tips will provide you with all the information needed and options for watering in San Antonio!
For more localized watering tips, visit our growing list of regional best practices to discover how to achieve the healthy, greenest lawn of your dreams anywhere in the US.
List of Tips
There are a lot of factors to consider when planning your annual lawn maintenance routine and may be daunting, but this guide will give you the knowledge and confidence to grow your dream lawn! We will also summarize various water conservation regulations for the area. Smart irrigation systems like Irrigreen are committed to reducing excess water usage while automating the watering process. Weather monitoring, precision watering patterns, and soil moisture calculation bring ease to lawn care, perfect when facing hot Texas summers!
Best Time of Day to Water Grass in San Antonio
The best place to start in creating your watering plan is knowing when to start. Timing is the key to ensure your lawn is receiving the proper hydration in a climate like the hot and humid weather that occurs in San Antonio. Setting your sprinkler system to begin watering in the early morning will get you the best results. Watering between the hours of 5am-9am gives your lawn enough time to fully absorb the water before the hottest, sunniest part of the day, preventing excess evaporation. Throughout the day, your lawn will be able to soak in all the water and nutrients, dry out just enough to prevent fungal disease, and prepare for the next watering event.
In accordance with San Antonio watering guidelines, automatic sprinkler systems must complete morning watering by 10am.
Worst Time of Day to Water Grass in San Antonio
Watering in the early morning is the best time of day to run your sprinkler system, but when should you avoid watering? Experts say avoid the hottest time of day with the most amount of direct sunlight, 1pm-3pm, is the most difficult time for grass to absorb water. The heat causes rapid evaporation, not letting the distributed water soak into the soil and properly nourishing your lawn. To make up for this, you would have to over-water, leading to an increase of water usage and running up your water bill.
Watering after the sun has set may be permitted in San Antonio, but it’s not the ideal time to do so. While you won’t face much evaporation due to direct sunlight, the lack of any sun won’t allow your soil to properly dry. Depending on the texture of your soil, you may need to account for plenty of drying time to prevent fungal disease. Continue reading for more details on soil types in San Antonio.
Watering Guidelines in San Antonio
Water conservation programs are an important part of homeownership, commercial building ownership, and city maintenance. The San Antonio Water System website actively updates drought restriction stages, listing current rules for all San Antonians to follow in order to save up to 1.3 billion gallons each year!
Year-round watering rules, the standard rules to follow when there are no active drought restrictions, allow irrigation systems and automatic sprinklers to water any day of the week from 12am (midnight)-10am & 9pm-12am (midnight).
Stage 1 of drought restrictions limit your watering days to once per week on your home’s assigned day. Watering times allow automatic systems to run between 12am (midnight)-10am & 9pm-12am (midnight). During Stage 2 and Stage 3 restrictions, you can still water once per week on the assigned day. You are permitted to water between 5am-10am & 9pm-12am (midnight). The most restrictive stage, Stage 4, limits watering events to once EVERY OTHER week on your assigned day. Watering hours remain 5am-10am & 9pm-12am (midnight).
Visit San Antonio Water System’s website for updates and to identify your assigned watering day. Assigned days are determined by the last number of your street address.
Best Grass Types for San Antonio - How Much to Water
Determining the best grass type to grow in your San Antonio lawn is based on a few different factors. Knowing the annual climate, weather patterns, and soil type helps narrow down the search for the best grass seed or plugs.
In Texas, selecting a warm-season species of grass like Zoysia, Bermuda, or Bahia is the best choice for the hot Central Texas climate. In much of Texas, Zoysia and Bermuda grasses are wildly popular - and for good reason! Zoysia and Bermuda are versatile and durable grass types for foot traffic, perfect for playtime with the kids or dogs! Both of these drought-resistant grass types require as little as .5” of water per week to survive, but you will see the best results with 1-1.25” of water per week. Installing a rain sensor or a smart irrigation system with weather-monitoring software like Irrigreen can elevate the need to manually adjust your settings. Smart controllers can automatically make necessary watering adjustments as needed.
Bahia grass is another great option for particularly sunny areas. If you do not have much shade on your property, you do not need to worry! Bahia thrives in direct sunlight and is very tolerant in drought seasons, making it a popular selection throughout the southern US. Minimal maintenance is required; over-watering this grass type can actually weaken the grass, so only .75-1” of water at most is needed per week. During various San Antonio watering restrictions, homeowners are only permitted to water on an assigned day, so Bahia is a great choice if you have a short window to time to complete your watering session each week.
Watering According to Soil Type
The soil in your lawn is another important factor to consider when crafting your watering plan. In San Antonio, much of the soil has a lot of clay which retains a lot of water. This type of soil is also called “gumbo.” Because this soil holds so much water and nutrients, the lawn will need time to air out in between watering events. This is why warm-season grasses are a good choice in San Antonio! Considering grass needs, watering restrictions, and the water retention of clay soil, watering once per week is sufficient.
San Antonio soil can also be sandy. This type of soil is found in desert climates. While San Antonio is not a desert, drought conditions and the typical hot weather contribute to the naturally occurring sandy texture. Since sandy soil is not as thick as “gumbo,” grass roots will have a good amount of space to naturally drain in-between watering events. Deep watering is ideal for sandy soil types as this practice encourages strong root growth. Supplementing this soil with regular fertilization is encouraged. Purdue University recommends fertilizing warm-season grasses in sandy soils 6 times per growing season.
Watering Throughout the Year
There are a few different practices to consider as the seasons change in San Antonio. While the four seasons in Texas may look different than other regions across the country, homeowners should still prepare for changes to their lawn care routine in colder months.
First, the best time to plant grass seed is from March to May. In the spring, the weather has gotten just warm enough to promote healthy growth without burning up the fresh seed. Once your warm-weather grass seed is laid, regular watering and fertilization throughout the spring will have your grass establishing healthy, deep roots in time for summer. Dormant grass begins to turn green again between March and May, which is the right time to dethatch a layer of built up leaves, dead grass, or debris.
Winterizing your sprinkler system is encouraged if the temperatures are expected to dip below freezing - 32 degrees fahrenheit. Raking, mowing, and occasional watering during the winter reduces the amount of dethatching or recovery needed in the springtime. Lightly watering dormant grass once every two weeks helps grass stay healthy during this transitional period.
Texas A&M University’s Healthy Lawns Healthy Waters program hosts workshops around the state where attendees can learn more about appropriate turf and landscaping practices based on local conditions.
Key Takeaway
Local weather patterns, types of soil, best species of grass, and how much water to use in San Antonio are all important factors to be aware of when taking care of your lawn. Following city-wide water restrictions as well helps contribute to water conservation efforts that ensure a better future for yourself, your family, and your neighbors! It can seem like a lot to manage, but by following these tips and guidelines, maintaining a brag-worthy lawn is achievable.
Smart irrigation controllers and precision sprinklers like Irrigreen systems can further ease the process - like adjusting watering amounts based on the time of year and only requiring one sprinkler head per zone - while effortlessly reducing water use and expenses.
