7 ways to keep your sod alive during summer heat

Keeping new sod or even established grass alive when the sun’s going nuts in Texas summer ain’t just about throwing water around. It takes a mix of timing, method, and knowing what kind of sod grass you're dealing with. Especially if you’re dealing with Bermuda sod, St. Augustine grass, or Zoysia sod, the rules ain't all the same. If you’ve laid fresh turf or even had it a few seasons, it can go brown real quick without some basic care.

Here’s seven things you can do that actually work, even when it’s over 100° for days. One thing though—don’t wait till it's crispy. You wait, you lose it.

1. Water Deep, But Don't Do It Random

You might think sprinklers every day’s helping. It’s not, usually. Shallow watering just makes roots lazy. Instead, hit it hard and deep, but less often. That way, roots go deeper down, where heat don’t bake the soil as much.

For most sod types, like Zoysia or St. Augustine, 1 inch to 1.25 inches twice a week works in most cases. But not with runoff. Runoff ain't watering—it's waste. Set your sprinklers to cycle soak mode or break watering into 2-3 smaller chunks. Example: 15 minutes on, wait 30 mins, then 15 again. It sinks in better like that.

Don’t water in the middle of the day either. Early morning’s best. Before 9 a.m. Usually before 7 a.m. better in high heat.

2. Know What Grass You Even Have

Some folks don’t even know. That matters though. Bermuda grass takes sun and traffic real good, but dries out super fast in drought. St. Augustine sod, on the other hand, can take shade and keeps greener longer, but hates drought stress.

Zoysia, kinda in between. It’s thick, slow-growing, and handles drought better than most, but goes brown fast if it’s under-watered for too long. So you gotta plan based on what type you got in your yard. Can’t treat all grass same way.

If you bought sod from a place like Texas Sod Zilla, chances are they told you the type. If not, a quick check with your phone camera and Google Lens can help you ID it.

3. Mow Higher Than You’d Think

Cutting too low in summer? Big mistake. Mowing short might look “clean,” but it ruins your sod in heat. Tall grass actually shades its own roots. That helps keep the soil temps down, slows down water evaporation.

For Bermuda sod, don’t go shorter than 2 inches in summer. St. Augustine sod, go even higher—3 to 4 inches. Zoysia can handle 2.5 to 3 inches. Raise your mower wheels if you haven’t yet. Also, keep blades sharp. Dull blade tears leaf edges and stress the sod more.

And don’t mow when it’s super dry. Or during heatwaves. Let it grow a bit during high heat spells. Grass ain’t dying from height, it’s dying from heat stress and shock.

4. Use Mulch Clippings Instead of Bagging

Tossing all clippings away every time is throwing away moisture. Mulched clippings help retain soil moisture and return nutrients back. You don’t gotta let it look messy, just don’t overdo it.

Just mulch mow and spread it thin. Works even better if you got a mower with side-discharge mulching blades. Nitrogen from clippings feeds the sod a bit too, especially Zoysia grass and Bermuda which are nitrogen-hungry during peak growth.

Avoid clumps though—clumps smother. Spread if needed by hand or lightly rake.

5. Feed It, But Lightly

Don’t skip feeding just ‘cause it’s hot. But don’t throw on heavy doses either. A light feed with slow-release fertilizer helps strengthen roots and keeps blades from yellowing. Go for something like 16-4-8 or 15-5-10—those blends are solid for hot seasons.

Apply in early summer, then again mid-summer if your grass type allows. Avoid heavy nitrogen, or you’ll burn it up in heat. Better yet, organic fertilizers like Milorganite or compost tea are gentler, and safe to use even if it's mid-July.

Also—always water after applying, especially in heat. Dry fertilizer on hot sod? Recipe for brown spots.

6. Spot Check for Bugs and Fungal Stuff

Sometimes it ain’t the heat. Sod browns from grub damage, chinch bugs, or fungal lawn disease like brown patch. During summer, these come up more cause of high heat and humidity.

St. Augustine grass, for example, is famous for chinch bug problems. You see weird patchy dry zones that don’t respond to watering? Could be bugs under it. Grab a coffee can with both ends cut out, push into soil, fill with water. If bugs float up, you got ‘em.

Also look for mushrooms, white powder, or wet spots with dying grass—could be fungus. Treat early with proper fungicide or insecticide. Or use neem oil if you want organic way.

7. Aerate Before the Heat Starts, Not After

Most folks think aerating’s for spring or fall. And it is. But doing core aeration right before summer starts gives your sod a better shot at surviving the heat.

Aerating opens up compacted soil, helps water get to roots quicker, and gives roots room to stretch down. Especially important if your yard’s had heavy traffic or clay soil. After aerating, overseed bare patches, water well, and you’ll get thicker growth before temps peak.

If you aerate mid-summer? That’s risky. You might expose roots during the hottest period and shock the sod. Better to plan in late spring or early May depending on your zone.