Bermudagrass Lawn Care Guide for Texas (Zone 8b)

Nitrogen Budget

For bermudagrass, a reasonable season-long nitrogen budget starts around 1 lb per 1,000 sq ft on the low end and runs up to about 5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft on the high end. Above roughly 6.5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft, you're past the point of added benefit and into added risk. This range carries medium confidence, so use it as a working guide rather than a hard rule, and split it across the season's fertilizer windows rather than applying it all at once.

Mowing Height by Season

Bermudagrass holds density best kept in a band of about ¾ inch to 1½ inches, and the target height stays the same across spring, summer, and fall at 1¼ inches — that sits in the sweet spot for thickness without scalping.

Never remove more than one-third of the blade in a single mow. If the lawn has gotten away from you, step the height down gradually over two or three cuts rather than dropping it all at once.

In spring, a single low reset cut down to about ¾ inch can clear out last year's dormant thatch and speed green-up — but this is a once-a-year move, not a routine one. Bag the clippings from that cut, then return to the normal 1¼ inch height.

The Season's Key Windows

Spring opens with a pre-emergent herbicide window from Mar 1 to Mar 29, timed to soil reaching 55°F on the rise — this is aimed at stopping summer annual weeds before bermudagrass fills back in. Spring green-up fertilizer follows from Apr 6 to May 4, once soil holds consistently above 65°F and the lawn shows about 50% green-up. Spring core aeration has its own window, Apr 24 to Jun 5, once the lawn is actively growing with soil above 65°F and 75% or more green-up.

If you're renovating or filling in bare areas, the early-summer seeding window runs May 4 to Jun 29, once soil is reliably in the 65–70°F range and nights stay warm. This gives bermudagrass a full growing season to establish before dormancy — it should not be seeded in fall.

Summer carries two fertilizer applications: one from May 25 to Jul 6 during peak growth, and a second from Jul 15 to Aug 26 to sustain density through the hottest stretch, with this second one being the last heavy nitrogen feeding before the fall transition. A broadleaf weed control window runs May 1 to Jun 18 for actively growing weeds once the lawn has fully greened up — confirm the label lists bermudagrass before applying, and avoid treating above about 90°F or under drought stress. A grub preventive window, May 11 to Jun 22, matters only if grub damage has been a known issue for the lawn or area; most lawns can skip it and just scout for damage instead. A wetting agent can also be useful from May 16 to Jul 15 to help water soak in rather than run off during the driest stretches.

As the season turns, a fall pre-emergent window opens Aug 28 to Oct 3, timed to soil cooling through about 70°F, aimed at winter annual weeds like annual bluegrass, henbit, and chickweed. It also blocks any grass seed, including winter ryegrass overseed, so it's one or the other — not both. A fall potassium application, low in nitrogen and high in potassium, runs Sep 30 to Nov 11 to build cold hardiness ahead of dormancy. An annual soil test is best collected Jul 27 to Oct 25, while the lawn is still active, to guide any lime or nutrient adjustments for next year.

Watering

The general target is about ¾ inch of water a week, split into two deep soakings of about ½ inch each, done early in the morning. Watering deep and infrequent encourages roots to grow down, and morning watering lets the lawn dry out before night — moisture sitting on the grass overnight invites disease.

In sustained heat, that weekly target rises: about a quarter inch more when highs are near the mid-80s, up to about a half inch more when it's three or more days near 90°F, capped so the soil can actually absorb it rather than running off.

Product Timing Conflicts

Timing matters when herbicides and seeding overlap. If you've recently applied a broadleaf herbicide, the general guidance is to wait about 6 weeks (42 days) before seeding. If you've recently applied a crabgrass pre-emergent, the wait before seeding stretches to about 12 weeks (84 days), since these products are built to stop germination — including the seed you'd be putting down.

These are timing rules to plan around, not steps to follow in sequence on a fixed date. Always confirm your specific product's label, since actual re-seeding intervals vary by formulation.

None of this replaces the label on the product in your hand — the label is the law, and it will always have the final say on rate, timing, and whether a given product is right for bermudagrass. Use these windows as the general shape of the season, and let your own lawn's soil temperature and growth confirm when it's time to act.