LAWN CARE TIPS FOR HOT WEATHER
Summer presents a specific set of lawn care challenges. You worked hard during the spring to prepare your grass for its season of maximum growth. A lot of growth means it’s healthy, but then you have to mow more frequently. Plus the heat means you have to keep an even closer eye on the amount of water that your yard is getting. Here are our tips to avoid dehydrated, dull-looking grass this summer.
Watering Appropriately
In our part of the country, we need to manage water responsibly. When it’s hot, there’s a constant temptation to give your lawn extra water, but too much can be just as harmful to grass as too little. Overwatering can saturate the areas around roots, inhibiting their growth, and wash away valuable nutrients.
Most people don’t need a warning against watering in the middle of the day, since that’s when temperatures peak and going outside isn’t very appealing. Still, it’s worth mentioning that watering at that hour is inefficient, because much of the water will evaporate before it can sink into soil and be absorbed by the grass.
Most lawns under normal conditions need one inch of water per week. The best approach to watering involves measuring rainfall using a rain gauge or an empty tuna or pet food can. If the weekly total is less than an inch, make up the difference by watering with a hose. Do this in the morning or the evening to minimize the amount that evaporates.
More Mowing
Because healthy grass will grow more in the summer, you’ll need to mow more often. Set the cutting level a little bit higher than you normally would to encourage thicker blades and deeper roots. Be sure to get your blade sharpened regularly, because a clean cut minimizes unattractive brown tips.
A Healthy Diet
Grass requires a particular combination of particular nutrients to remain healthy, just as we do. However, over time, the supply of certain vitamins and minerals in soil can decline. For best results, most lawns should receive an application of fertilizer at least once every six to eight weeks. Your Southern Lawns technician is the best at monitoring what your lawn needs.
Keep Off the Grass
We want our lawns to look good, but we also want to use them for fun with friends and family. Most grasses are resilient enough to stand up to some foot traffic, but over an entire summer, games, pets, and cookouts can take a toll. Think about confining some activities to a driveway or patio, or designate a certain area of the lawn for more energetic activities.
If summer seems to be taking a toll on your grass, Southern Lawns can help. Give us a call at 334.203.2398 or e-mail sales@southernlawns.net to schedule an assessment by one of our team of trained professionals.
