Practical turf areas

When considering the amount of water required for a landscape, it is important to note that turf grasses require more frequent watering and maintenance than most other plants. Carefully select the grass for your landscape according to its intended use, planting location and maintenance requirements.

St. Augustine grass and Bermuda grass are most often used for Texas lawns. Zoysia grass, buffalo grass and centipede grass are used less often but offer much promise to landscape water conservation.

BUFFALO COMMON BERMUDA CENTIPEDE ST. AUGUSTINE ZOYSIA

Grasses available for use in Texas lawns vary significantly in water requirements. Planting the lowest water use turf grass adapted to a region is an effective way to reduce landscape irrigation requirements.

Achieving a significant reduction in water consumption and landscape maintenance may also involve reducing the size of water-sensitive lawns through the use of patios, decks, shrub beds and groundcovers. Also, when designing or evaluating turf grass areas in the landscape, consider the ease or difficulty in watering the proposed area. Long narrow areas and small odd-shaped areas are difficult for any irrigation equipment to efficiently water. Try to eliminate long narrow areas in favor of more square areas.