Common Weeds and Lawn Diseases in San Antonio, TX

Weeds, Disease and Drought are the common lawn killers in San Antonio. In this piece we’ll cover how to deal with each.

Common Weeds in San Antonio

Weeds in San Antonio, Texas can be divided into two categories, grassy and broadleaf. Broadleaf weeds include Henbit, Dandelion, Thistle, Chickweed, and Purslane. If your lawn is too fraught with these, it’s recommended you contact a lawn service professional for assistance.

Henbit can be identified by the purple at the top of the plant, and Dandelion by its bright yellow flower. Thistle is a prickly bush that can grow several feet tall, and chickweed has white, star-shaped flowers all over it. Purslane has flat, paddle-shaped leaves, and can bloom year round in your lawn.

Grassy weeds look more like regular grass but can be just as harmful to your lawn. These include Rescue grass, Bluegrass, Crabgrass, and Dallisgrass. Rescuegrass is most common in Central Texas and features leaves which are hairy, flat, and spiky. It typically blooms in winter.

Bluegrass is one of the most common weeds in the San Antonio area, and usually shows up early spring or late winter. It grows in bunches, giving your lawn an uneven look and yellow color. Crabgrass is the most widely hated weed in America, because it grows primarily during spring and summer, and can stay dormant for ages. It’s resistant to drought and quickly dominates a lawn once it germinates.

Dallisgrass grows in large clusters so big that the middle sometimes dies while the outer edges of the clump will continue spreading and dominating your lawn. It tends to grow in clay or sandy soils, and it loves nitrogen fertilizer. It also grows twice as fast as normal turf grasses.

Common Lawn Diseases in San Antonio

Lawn diseases can afflict any lawn in San Antonio. It’s important to recognize them early on, so they’re dealt with quickly. If any of these diseases are too prevalent on your lawn, you should call a San Antonio lawn service professional to help you.

Here are some of the more common weeds we see around the Alamo City.

Red Thread

This disease makes red or pink threads extend from your grass and can be easily identified by its color.

Dollar Spot Disease

You’ll know this lawn disease by the silver dollar sized patches of tan grass that will appear all around your lawn. Left untreated they can rot your whole lawn.

Brown Patch

Named for its look, this disease actually starts out causing purple-green patches with a dark ring around them throughout your lawn. Once it progresses, it kills your grass completely leaving dead, brown spots all around your yard.

Summer Patch

This disease starts out as small, crescent-shaped clusters of brown and yellow that will quickly rot your grass down to the soil if left untreated.

Avoiding Dought: Watering Instructions for Lawns in San Antonio

Drought is the third lawn killer in San Antonio. Proper watering will solve this. Additionally, proper watering will help with the first two lawn threats.

You’ll obviously want to keep your lawn well-watered in San Antonio, but be careful not to overdo it. Current watering restrictions in San Antonio state that you are only allowed to water your lawn with a sprinkler or irrigation system once per week, before 11 am or after 7 pm.

These regulations are subject to change so be sure to stay up-to-date on them. In times of less or no restriction, you’ll want to water at least 3 or 4 times per week, especially during the growing season. Wintertime requires less water for your lawn.

Watering in San Antonio, Texas is best done during the late evening or the early morning when temperatures are cooler. This helps the soil retain more water.