As February draws to a close and the first hints of warmer weather begin to drift across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, North Texas homeowners face a familiar and exciting challenge: transitioning their landscapes from winter dormancy into spring vitality. This window — roughly late February through mid-March — is one of the most important times of year for your lawn, trees, and garden beds. What you do right now sets the tone for the entire growing season ahead.
Assess What Winter Left Behind
Before reaching for a single tool, take a walk around your property with fresh eyes. North Texas winters are unpredictable — one year brings mild temperatures and light frosts, the next delivers an ice storm or a hard freeze. This past season may have left behind broken branches, frost-heaved plants, root damage, or large patches of turf that didn’t survive the cold.
Look closely at your St. Augustine, Bermuda, or Zoysia grass. Brown turf at this time of year isn’t necessarily dead — most warm-season grasses are simply dormant. However, you may notice areas that look gray or matted rather than tan and upright. Those sections may need overseeding or sod repair once temperatures consistently reach the mid-60s.
Check your trees and large shrubs for storm damage, split limbs, or signs of disease. Winter is tough on even well-established plants, and unaddressed damage can invite pests and fungal problems as the weather warms.
Hold Off on Pruning — But Not for Everything
Timing is everything when it comes to late-winter pruning in North Texas. The general rule is to wait until after the last frost before cutting back freeze-damaged shrubs and perennials. In the DFW area, the average last frost date falls between mid-February and mid-March, so patience pays off. Cutting back too early can expose tender new growth to a cold snap.
That said, late winter is actually the ideal time to prune certain plants. Now is the right moment to trim crepe myrtles — though keep in mind that “crepe murder” (severe topping) is never recommended. A light shaping to remove crossing branches and spent seed heads is all that’s needed. This is also the time to prune roses, removing dead canes and shaping them before new buds emerge.
Oak trees, however, are the exception. Due to the risk of oak wilt — a devastating fungal disease spread by beetles — avoid pruning oaks from February through June unless absolutely necessary. If you must make cuts, seal them immediately with a pruning sealant.
Lawn Care: Fertilization Timing Matters
One of the most common mistakes North Texas homeowners make is fertilizing too early. Applying fertilizer to dormant grass pushes nutrient-hungry weeds while your turf isn’t yet able to take advantage of the boost. Wait until your grass shows consistent active green growth — usually late March to early April — before applying a slow-release nitrogen fertilizer.
In the meantime, late February is the perfect time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide to get ahead of summer weeds like crabgrass and goosegrass. The window for pre-emergent application is tied to soil temperature; once soil temps reach 55°F consistently, weed seeds begin to germinate. Most of North Texas hits this threshold in early spring, so applying now gives your lawn a strong defensive advantage.
Refresh Your Beds and Borders
End of winter is also the right time to refresh your landscape beds before the spring planting rush. Pull any winter weeds that have taken hold, edge your bed borders cleanly, and top off your mulch. A fresh 2-to-3-inch layer of mulch helps retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds throughout the hot Texas summer ahead.
If you’re planning to add color annuals or summer perennials, hold off on planting until after your last frost date has passed. But now is the time to plan, design, and source your plants so you’re ready to move quickly when the weather cooperates.
Call in the Professionals
End-of-winter landscape care in North Texas requires local knowledge and careful timing. At Fallas Landscape, we understand the unique growing conditions of the DFW area and can help you get ahead of the season with professional pruning, pre-emergent treatments, bed preparation, and custom lawn care programs designed for our regional climate.
Don’t wait for spring to sneak up on you. Contact Fallas Landscape today to schedule a consultation and make this your best-looking lawn and garden year yet.
