In the summertime, a lush, green lawn makes your property more attractive. Unfortunately, summer is also when lawn care is most challenging. Dry spells, weeds that sprout after summer showers, and the hot summer sun can leave your lawn looking dried out and yellow. These tips for a healthy summer lawn will help you maintain your yard this season.
Water Correctly for a Healthy Summer Lawn
The best time to water your lawn is early morning. This allows the soil to absorb water before the sun is hot enough to evaporate it quickly. Night watering encourages disease by creating a damp environment. Watering deeply in the morning will keep your lawn hydrated throughout the day.
It’s also important not to water too frequently. Giving your lawn a long soak two or three times a week will help grass develop longer roots and draw water from deeper in the ground. Daily watering will encourage a shallow root system. On rainy days, there’s no need to worry about watering for a healthy summer lawn.
Let Your Lawn Breathe
Hardened, impacted soil can smother the grass at the roots. Aeration is a process of perforating the soil at intervals to allow air, nutrients, and water to reach deeper levels. The easiest method to aerate is by pushing a garden fork at intervals of about 10 inches across the lawn. If your lawn is large, rent a machine to do the job.
When to Feed Your Lawn
It can be tempting to fertilize a tired-looking summer lawn. However, fertilization in the summer months is not recommended because the hot sun can burn the fertilizer and cause brown spots.
Plan in advance for a healthy summer lawn by fertilizing in the spring and again in the fall after temperatures have cooled. Use a spray formula along with a click-on adapter set for your garden hose. If you feel like you simply must feed your lawn now, look for a fertilizer formulated for feeding in the summer months.
For a Healthy Lawn, Mow Correctly
Set your mower’s blade higher for a healthy summer lawn. Taller grass blades help shade the soil and keep the ground from drying out as quickly under the hot sun. Depending on rainfall, every other week should be sufficient for mowing your lawn.
Wait to Apply Weed Control
With seeds constantly blowing in the breeze, battling weeds is a summer-long task. Unfortunately, like fertilizers, the chemicals used in weed killers are harmful to the grass in hot weather. The best way to control weeds in the summer is to pre-plan. Use a pre-emergent crabgrass killer in the early spring and a weed killer at the end of summer.
You can also choose to control weeds manually, especially if you have a healthy lawn. If you have too many weeds for manual removal, try spot-treating affected areas.
Sunrise Home Inspection offers home inspection services to Eastern Connecticut and Western Rhode Island. Contact us to schedule an appointment.