Summer Lawn Care Musts
Summer heat can take a toll on your lawn! If you mow too low, water too much or too little, or ignore early signs of pests, your grass could quickly become lackluster or even completely die in small or large patches. Keep your lawn looking its best all summer long by implementing these 10 summer care tips.
Pick Up Yard
Summer activities can result in toys, water games, lawn chairs or tools being left on turf. Pick-up everything to avoid damaging the grass or creating dangerous obstacles while mowing.
Pick Up After Your Dog
Se sure to keep waste picked up and dispose of it properly. If you see dying grass due to your dog’s urination, flush the area with water to dilute the urine in soil. The best solution is to create a mulched or pebbled area and train your dog to use that area for bathroom breaks.
Avoid Parking on the Grass
Driving or parking on grass leads to soil compaction, which can cause a host of other problems, including dead grass. During drought or times of excessive heat, it’s even wise to limit foot traffic on grass to avoid damaging turf crowns.
Treat for Grubs
Beetles, such as June Bugs, lay eggs in grass in early to midsummer. Eggs hatch into grubs in mid-to late summer. Timing varies by Beetle and region.
Tackle Weeds
Apply weed control, such as 5 In 1 Weed & Feed and always read and follow label instructions. Do not apply a pre-emergent herbicide in fall if you plan to seed or overseed.
Mow at The Right Height
In summer, adjust your mower height to leave grass taller. Taller grass shades the soil, which in turn reduces water evaporation, leads to deeper roots, and prevents weed seeds from germinating. Ideal mowing height varies with grass type. Create a mowing schedule to follow so you’re never removing more than one-third of the leaf surface at a time.
Sharpen Your Mower Blade
Dull blades tear rather than cut grass. This leads to obvious brown scars at the leaf tip and makes the grass more susceptible to disease. Sharpen your mower blade regularly. The rule of thumb is that a sharp blade lasts for 10 hours of mowing. Consider purchasing a second blade so you’ll always have a sharp blade at the ready.
Leave Grass Clippings
If you’re mowing grass at the right height, you can let clippings lie on the lawn. This practice is called grass-cycling and saves you time, money, and fertilizer.
Water properly
For the healthiest grass, water your lawn deeply and infrequently. Be aware of weather forecasts regarding rain and heat as to not over or under water.
Fertilize
For cool season grasses, twice annually is usually enough. Aim to fertilize in Late spring or early summer, after fresh growth has appeared and during early fall around 6 to 8 weeks before the first freeze.
Want to Add Some Curb Appeal?
A lush lawn, beautiful landscaping, and professionally installed hardscapes make for the perfect outdoor living space. Thinking about ways to beautiful your home and yard? Contact Exterior Enterprises! We’re the hardscape and landscape professionals, and we can help you create new hardscape designs or liven up your old ones!
