New Braunfels Lawn Care Questions, Answered
How much does lawn care cost? What grass do I have? Why does my lawn have brown patches? We pulled the most common lawn care questions from New Braunfels homeowners and answered every one of them.
We hear a lot of the same questions from homeowners in New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, and the surrounding Hill Country. Some come up at the first estimate. Some come up after a few months of service. Some come up when someone's lawn is doing something unexpected and they want to know why.
So we put them all in one place. These are the lawn care questions New Braunfels homeowners actually ask — with straight answers.
General Lawn Care Questions
What kind of grass do most New Braunfels lawns have?
The two most common grass types in New Braunfels and the surrounding Texas Hill Country are St. Augustine and Bermuda. St. Augustine is a thick, broad-bladed grass that handles shade reasonably well and is common in established neighborhoods. Bermuda is a finer-bladed, more aggressive grass that thrives in full sun and handles heavy foot traffic well.
Zoysia is also present in the area, though less common. It's a slower-growing grass with a dense, carpet-like texture that handles both sun and partial shade. Some lawns have a mix of grass types, especially if areas have been patched or overseeded over the years.
If you're not sure what you have, look at the blade width and texture. St. Augustine has wide, flat blades with rounded tips. Bermuda has narrow, fine blades and spreads aggressively. Zoysia falls somewhere in between — medium width, dense, and slow-growing.
How often should my lawn be mowed in New Braunfels?
During the active growing season — roughly April through October — most New Braunfels lawns need mowing every 7 to 14 days. Bermuda grass tends to grow faster and may need weekly cuts during peak summer. St. Augustine grows more moderately but still needs regular attention to stay healthy.
The goal isn't just keeping it short. It's following the one-third rule: never remove more than one-third of the blade height in a single mowing. Cutting too much at once stresses the grass, exposes the soil, and can lead to scalping — especially on lawns with any slope or unevenness.
What mowing height is right for my grass?
St. Augustine is generally kept between 3 and 4 inches. Bermuda is typically mowed at 1.5 to 2.5 inches. Zoysia is usually kept between 1.5 and 2.5 inches as well.
Mowing too short is one of the most common lawn care mistakes in Central Texas. A scalped lawn loses its ability to shade the soil, which increases water loss, invites weeds, and stresses the grass during summer heat.
How much does lawn care cost in New Braunfels?
Lawn care pricing in New Braunfels varies based on the size of the property, the services included, and how often service is scheduled. Mowing-only services for a typical residential lot generally start in the $40–$80 range per visit, though larger properties cost more. Full-service programs that include mowing, weed control, and fertilization are priced based on the specific scope of work.
The best way to get an accurate number for your property is to request a free estimate. We'll look at the actual square footage, the condition of the lawn, and what services make sense for your goals before quoting anything.
Weed Control Questions
How do I get rid of weeds in my lawn?
Effective weed control in New Braunfels usually involves two approaches working together: pre-emergent applications to prevent weeds from germinating, and post-emergent treatments to eliminate weeds that are already growing.
Pre-emergent herbicides are applied before weeds sprout — typically in late winter for summer weeds like crabgrass, and in late summer or early fall for winter weeds like henbit and annual bluegrass. Timing is everything. Once a weed has already germinated, pre-emergent won't touch it.
Post-emergent herbicides target weeds that are already visible. The right product depends on the weed type and the grass type — some herbicides that are safe on Bermuda can damage St. Augustine. This is one of the main reasons weed control is best handled by someone who knows what they're looking at.
Do I need a license to spray weed killer in Texas?
If you're treating your own property, no license is required. But if someone is being paid to apply pesticides — including herbicides — on someone else's property in Texas, they are required to hold a Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator license.
At Committed Lawn Care, our weed control and fertilization services are performed in accordance with Texas licensing requirements. When you hire a lawn care company to spray your yard, it's worth asking whether they're licensed. Unlicensed application isn't just a legal issue — it can also mean the wrong product gets applied at the wrong rate, which can damage your lawn or create runoff problems.
Why do I keep getting weeds even after treatment?
A few common reasons: the treatment window was missed (pre-emergent applied after weeds already germinated), the wrong product was used for the weed type, the application rate was too low, or the lawn has gaps — thin or bare areas — that give weeds an easy foothold.
A thick, healthy lawn is one of the best defenses against weeds. Dense turf crowds out germinating weed seeds and leaves less bare soil exposed. Weed control works best as part of a complete lawn care program, not as a one-time fix.
Is it safe for my kids and pets after weed control treatment?
Most professional herbicide applications are safe for people and pets once the product has dried, which typically takes 30 minutes to a few hours depending on the product and weather conditions. We'll let you know the recommended re-entry time for any application we make on your property.
Brown Patches and Lawn Problems
Why does my lawn have brown patches?
Brown patches in a New Braunfels lawn can come from a surprisingly long list of causes. The most common ones we see include:
- Drought stress or uneven irrigation coverage — one sprinkler zone may not be covering the full area, leaving dry spots even when the system runs
- Grub damage — beetle larvae feeding on grassroots underground; the grass lifts like loose carpet when grubs are present
- Brown patch fungus — a lawn disease that thrives in warm, humid conditions; shows up as circular patches with a darker border
- Scalping — mowing too short, especially on uneven terrain, removes the growing point and leaves brown areas
- Pet damage — concentrated urine burns grass and leaves distinct round spots
- Chinch bugs — a common pest in St. Augustine lawns; damage looks like drought stress but doesn't respond to watering
The right fix depends on the right diagnosis. Watering more won't help a fungal problem. Fungicide won't help a grub problem. If you have brown patches that aren't responding to obvious fixes, it's worth having someone look at the lawn before spending money on the wrong treatment.
What is brown patch fungus and how do I treat it?
Brown patch (Rhizoctonia solani) is one of the most common lawn diseases in Central Texas. It typically appears in late spring through fall when nighttime temperatures stay above 70°F and humidity is high. The patches are usually circular or irregular, ranging from a few inches to several feet across, often with a darker, water-soaked border.
St. Augustine is particularly susceptible. Treatment involves fungicide applications and, just as importantly, adjusting conditions that favor the disease — reducing nighttime watering, improving air circulation, and avoiding excess nitrogen during humid periods.
Why is my St. Augustine grass turning yellow?
Yellowing St. Augustine in New Braunfels is often caused by iron deficiency. Central Texas soils tend to be alkaline, which locks out iron even when it's present in the soil. The result is chlorosis — yellowing between the leaf veins while the veins themselves stay green.
An iron supplement or iron-containing fertilizer usually restores color within a few weeks. If the yellowing is more widespread or accompanied by thinning, other causes like overwatering, chinch bugs, or Take-All Root Rot may be involved.
Fertilization Questions
When should I fertilize my lawn in New Braunfels?
For warm-season grasses like St. Augustine and Bermuda, the general fertilization window runs from spring green-up through early fall. A typical schedule for New Braunfels lawns includes:
- Spring (April–May): First feeding once the lawn is actively growing and nighttime temps are consistently above 60°F
- Early summer (June): Second application to support peak growth season
- Early fall (September): Recovery feeding to strengthen roots before dormancy
Fertilizing during dormancy (November through March) is largely wasted — the grass can't use the nutrients. Fertilizing during the hottest weeks of summer (July–August) can stress already heat-burdened grass and increase disease risk.
Can I fertilize and do weed control at the same time?
Sometimes. Combination products (often called "weed and feed") apply both in one pass, but they require careful timing — the fertilizer component needs actively growing grass, while the pre-emergent component needs to go down before weeds germinate. When those windows don't align, a combination product forces a compromise that may not serve either goal well.
Separating fertilization and weed control into targeted applications at the right time for each usually produces better results than trying to do both at once.
Aeration Questions
When is the best time to aerate my lawn in New Braunfels?
For warm-season grasses in Central Texas, the best time to aerate is late spring through early summer — typically May through July — when the grass is actively growing and can recover quickly. Aerating during dormancy or during extreme summer heat stress is harder on the lawn.
Fall aeration is sometimes done in September, though the recovery window is shorter before dormancy. Spring aeration generally gives the lawn the most time to fill in the holes and benefit from improved soil contact.
Does my lawn actually need aeration?
Not every lawn needs annual aeration, but most benefit from it periodically. Signs that aeration would help include soil that feels hard or compacted underfoot, water pooling or running off instead of soaking in, thin or struggling turf despite regular care, and heavy thatch buildup.
New Braunfels and the surrounding Hill Country have a lot of clay-heavy and rocky soils that compact easily. If your lawn gets regular foot traffic or has areas that drain poorly, aeration is usually worth doing every one to two years.
Scheduling and Service Questions
Do I have to sign a long-term contract for lawn care service?
No. Committed Lawn Care does not require long-term contracts. We offer recurring lawn care on a schedule that works for your property — weekly, biweekly, or as-needed — without locking you into a multi-year agreement.
What areas does Committed Lawn Care serve?
We serve New Braunfels and the surrounding communities, including Canyon Lake, Spring Branch, Wimberley, Seguin, Schertz, Cibolo, Garden Ridge, and other areas in the Texas Hill Country and Greater San Antonio region. If you're not sure whether we cover your area, call or text us and we'll let you know.
How do I get a free estimate?
The easiest way is to fill out our online estimate form or call and text us directly at (512) 222-9122. We'll take a look at your property and put together a quote based on your actual lawn — not a generic price list.
Whether you're looking for one-time mowing, recurring maintenance, weed control, fertilization, or a full lawn care program, we're happy to walk through what makes sense for your yard and your budget.
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