Easy Summer Lawn Care
Summer may be a fun time for us… but it can be harsh on your grass! High summer temperatures and humidity, aggressive weeds, and pests commonly cause a decline in lawn appearance and health this time of year. Keep an eye out for browning, crunchy texture, wilting, and curling – these are all telltale signs of stress. Below are some recommendations to ensure your lawn doesn’t get to this point.
1. Water: Your lawn needs a minimum of 1 inch of water per week. If Mother Nature does not provide this, it’s time to set up some sprinklers! During the summer, it is more important to give your lawn a deep soaking. Instead of running your sprinklers for 20 minutes per day, try every other day for a minimum of an hour. This way, water will seep deeper into the soil, encouraging deeper grass root growth. Water in the early morning to avoid evaporation and disease promotion caused by late-day watering.
2. Mow your lawn high: Keep your grass at least 3 inches long. The taller your grass blades are, the softer, cooler grass you have to run your toes through, and the better the chances of your lawn’s survival. A taller grass blade has more surface area and provides more shade for the grass below, therefore, the ability to retain moisture is better. Also, don’t mow your lawn if the temperature is over 90 degrees!
3. Let the clippings fall: Grass is approximately 80% water. If you leave the clippings on the lawn, they give back moisture and act as a “green” fertilizer, providing a gentle Nitrogen feed for your lawn.
4. Keep your mower blades sharp: Believe it or not, the sharper your mower blades, the softer the grass will be. Grass cut by dull mower blades is more vulnerable to diseases and drying out. Don’t mow off more than a third of a grass blade at a time. If you mow off more, you will stress out your lawn, making it much more susceptible to burnout.
5. Treat for grubs: Now is the time to apply Bayer’s Season Long Grub Control. Grubs will be hatching and lurking beneath your feet, eating the roots of your lovely lawn. Don’t wait! Apply Bayer’s Season Long Grub Control through mid-August. Be sure to water it in or apply it before heavy rainfall. The more rain it gets, the better it works.
6. Fertilize: Give your lawn, a non-burning summer feed! Milorganite is a great choice. It is organic, non-burning, and has Iron for quick green-up. Espoma also makes a nice, organic Summer Revitalizer, perfect for this summer heat.
7. Green Up: Boost the appearance of your lawn with Earth Science’s Fast-Acting Iron or Iron Pro! We recommend these because they will not stress out your grass during the summer heat and work in just days without burning or staining.
Visit our solution center at Van Wilgen’s. We would love to help!
