Apex Grounds

We have an RFP – so why aren’t we getting the results we want?

Two reasons, usually. First, most RFPs are too loose: they list tasks (mow, trim, make sure the irrigation runs) instead of defining the turf result you’re paying for. Second, landscapers treat every property the same — mow as fast as possible and move on. Follow a loose RFP to the letter and you still get predictably average turf.

How do I know if our RFP has high standards?

Most RFPs are written by HOA boards or management companies with no turf-management background — and they usually haven’t been updated in years. If yours specifies how often to mow but says nothing about fertility, growth regulation, or measured irrigation, it’s setting the bar too low to protect you.

Why is the grass so brown during the summer?

Most often it’s water not reaching the roots — soil compacted hard by the heat, or an irrigation system with coverage gaps or unrepaired breaks. Once water is addressed, fertility is the next culprit: many companies feed nitrogen alone and skip phosphorus and potassium, so the turf greens up briefly and then thins.

How long should I expect my grass to remain green?

A healthy, well-watered Bermuda stand typically holds color from spring green-up until soil temperatures drop in late fall — roughly April through October in North Texas — then goes dormant for winter. If it’s browning mid-summer, something in the water-or-fertility chain is broken.

Why does our landscaper always want to charge extra for everything?

Because their base bid was priced to win, not to care for the property — so the real work becomes a stream of add-ons. A program built around your turf includes the agronomics from the start. You should know exactly what’s covered before you sign, not discover it one invoice at a time.

Our contractor shows up every week — isn’t that enough?

Showing up and managing turf are different jobs. A crew can mow on schedule all season and still leave you thin, weedy, browning grass, because mowing isn’t what makes Bermuda healthy — feeding, growth regulation, and water management are. Frequency of visits tells you nothing about the condition of your turf.

Why does mowing height matter so much?

Bermuda spreads sideways and thrives cut low with a reel mower — it heals fast and grows dense. Cut high with a rotary deck, it grows tall and stemmy and thins out underneath. Height of cut is one of the biggest differences between turf that looks like a carpet and turf that looks like a pasture.