Bermudagrass Lawn Care Schedule for Texas

Nitrogen Budget

Aim for about 3 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet across the growing season, and treat 4 pounds as the ceiling. Spread that total across the season's feeding windows rather than applying it all at once, and check the product label for the actual nitrogen delivered per bag or bottle so your math lines up with the budget, not just the bag size.

Mowing Height by Season

Bermudagrass holds density best when kept low. Across spring, summer, and fall, mow to about 1½ inches, which sits inside the 1 to 2 inch range this grass tolerates well. 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 over two or three cuts instead of scalping it back in one pass.

In early spring only, a single low reset cut down to about 1 inch clears out the winter's dormant thatch and speeds green-up. Bag the clippings for that one cut, then return to your normal mowing height for the rest of the season.

The Season's Schedule

A pre-emergent herbicide window runs Feb 12 to Mar 12, triggered as soil warms through 55°F on the way up — this gets ahead of summer annual weeds before the grass fills back in. Spring green-up fertilizer follows from Mar 20 to Apr 17, once soil holds consistently above 65°F and about half the lawn has greened up. Aeration fits late spring, Apr 16 to May 28, once the lawn is actively growing with soil above 65°F and strong green-up.

If you're renovating or filling in bare patches, the seeding window for bermudagrass runs Apr 17 to Jun 12, once soil is reliably in the 65–70°F range and climbing. That timing matters — seeding in early summer gives a full growing season to establish before dormancy, and bermudagrass should not be seeded in fall.

Broadleaf weed control has its own window, Apr 23 to Jun 10, for actively growing weeds once the lawn has fully greened up. Confirm the label lists bermudagrass before applying, and avoid spraying above roughly 90°F or when the lawn is under drought stress — the label is the law. A wetting agent can go down May 8 to Jul 7 to help water soak into dry patches before peak heat, reapplied through summer as needed. If grub damage has been a problem before, the preventive window for grub control runs May 3 to Jun 14; most lawns can skip this and just scout for damage instead.

Summer feeding comes in two passes — one centered in June (May 17 to Jun 28) and one in August (Jul 15 to Aug 26) — to carry the lawn through peak heat. In early fall, a high-potassium, low-nitrogen application from Sep 14 to Oct 26 helps the lawn harden off before dormancy, and a fall pre-emergent from Aug 28 to Oct 3, triggered as soil cools through 70°F, stops winter annual weeds like annual bluegrass, henbit, and chickweed before they germinate. An annual soil test fits Jul 27 to Oct 25, while the grass is still active enough for results to guide any lime or nutrient adjustments.

Watering

Aim for about ¾ inch of water a week, split into two deep soakings of about ½ inch each, watered early in the morning. Watering deep and infrequent encourages roots to grow downward, and morning irrigation lets the lawn dry out before night, since wet grass left overnight invites disease.

In sustained heat, that weekly target climbs — by about a quarter inch once highs sit near the mid-80s, and up to about a half inch once three or more days push near 90 — capped there so the soil can absorb it without runoff.

Product Timing Conflicts

If you've recently applied a broadleaf herbicide, wait about 6 weeks (42 days) before seeding bermudagrass. If you've recently applied a crabgrass pre-emergent, wait about 12 weeks (84 days) before seeding — a pre-emergent doesn't distinguish between a weed seed and a grass seed, so it will work against new bermudagrass just as it does against crabgrass.

The same logic applies in fall: a fall pre-emergent put down to stop winter weeds will also block any grass seed sown afterward, so treat it as one or the other, not both. Since bermudagrass seeding is really an early-summer project, it's worth planning any spring pre-emergent or broadleaf application with that window already in mind.

Gear this schedule assumes

These are affiliate links: Tiller earns a small commission at no cost to you. We only list gear the schedule above already assumes you have — no sponsored picks. Full disclosure.

Rain gauge

Any $10 gauge works. You need it to hit the 0.75 in/week target above without guessing.

Soil thermometer

The seed and pre-emergent windows above are soil-temperature windows — a $15 probe beats calendar guessing.

Broadcast spreader

Needed for even fertilizer and seed rates. A basic rotary spreader covers most lawns.

Oscillating sprinkler + hose timer

Enough to water deeply and consistently if you have no in-ground system.

Smart irrigation controller

Only if you have an in-ground system — a Rachio-style controller automates the watering schedule.

None of this needs to happen on a fixed date — it needs to happen when the soil and the grass say so. Watch the green-up, check the soil temperature where you can, and let this schedule frame the decisions rather than dictate them.

More guides

Bermudagrass in other states

Alabama · Arkansas · California · Georgia · North Carolina · Oklahoma · South Carolina · Tennessee · Virginia

Other grasses in Texas

Centipedegrass · St. Augustinegrass · Tall Fescue · Zoysiagrass