How to Water Your Lawn During a Texas Drought

Every Austin summer brings heat, and most bring some level of watering restrictions. The good news is that with the right approach, your lawn can stay alive and healthy even when water is scarce.

The single biggest mistake homeowners make is watering a little bit every day. Shallow, frequent watering trains grass roots to stay near the surface, where they dry out fast and leave the lawn fragile. Instead, water deeply and infrequently. One or two longer sessions per week that soak the soil several inches down encourages deep, drought-resistant roots.

Water early in the morning, ideally before sunrise, so less is lost to evaporation and the blades dry during the day, which reduces disease. A simple way to measure output is to place a few tuna cans around the yard and run the sprinklers until they collect about an inch of water, then note how long that took.

Mowing height also matters more than people think. Letting your grass grow slightly taller during summer shades the soil, slows evaporation, and helps the lawn tolerate stress. Never remove more than a third of the blade in one mow.

Finally, a lawn that has been properly aerated and fed all season will always handle drought better than a compacted, hungry one. Strong roots are your best insurance against Texas heat. If restrictions tighten, don’t panic — most established lawns can go dormant and bounce back once the rain returns.