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The summer months are the ones where we typically all spend more time outdoors, entertaining, relaxing, and playing in our backyards. No matter the size of your lawn, though, your outdoor time won’t be as satisfying as you’d like if your grass doesn’t look green, lush, healthy, and happy.
If you’ve noticed your yard is rather worse for wear after winter, now is the time to start working on it to getting it looking its best. If you give it a little TLC consistently for a few weeks, it should spring back to life in no time.
As temperatures rise, it becomes increasingly important to water turf so it doesn’t dry out or burn. On top of the heat, there may not be as much rain around, either, so this means double trouble for moisture levels. Water grass a few times per week, depending on conditions. Do this earlier in the day, before the sun is too high, as this will help water to penetrate down into the soil, rather than evaporate.
The color of blades will help you to determine if the moisture level is right. If you notice the leaves seem to be turning a bit blue-gray or even brown, this is an indication that you need to water, stat. Another sign is leaf blades wilting and/or curl up. They do this when the soil under the lawn gets too dry.
Mowing is important not just to keep yards looking neat and orderly, but also because regular cutting helps thicken up the grass when it struggles due to high heat, humidity, and a lack of rain. Do be careful not to trim too much off your lawn, though. Stick with a third of the grass in a single sweep, at a maximum. Less is better. By leaving a little extra length, you’ll help the soil underneath to receive more shade. As a result, the grass will develop deeper roots and become stronger.
Keep the blades on your lawn mower sharp, too, so that the grass gets properly cut, rather than torn. Dull blades dangerously tear at grass and can make it more vulnerable to disease. Another lawn mowing tip is to avoid the job if the ground is very wet. Also, remember to change patterns and directions as you mow so the grass doesn’t get pushed in the same direction over and over.
If mowing is one of your least favorite jobs, or if you don’t have enough time in your schedule to handle the task, remember there are plenty of gardeners and specialist mowers who you can employ. Check out these highly-rated Atlanta lawn mowing services for inspiration.
Unfortunately, the warmer weather that comes with summer does bring a drawback with it when it comes to lawns. Weeds pop up and propagate during summer and, if you’re not careful, your grass could soon be overrun with them. To keep the pests at bay, keep the pH level of the soil beneath turf at an ideal level. If too much acid builds up, moss and then weeds will develop in turn. Increase pH levels by using alkalizing ground chalk or limestone.
If weeds are still an issue, commit to spending time weeding every week. Remove nuisances by hand, or utilize a specific tool such as a scarifier. This will help get rid of dandelions, daisies, and white clover, in particular. Ensure you remove the whole root system of weeds though, so they don’t grow back in a short time frame.
Grass needs the right, and correct amount of, nutrients to be thick and lush. If you haven’t been getting much rain over the last few months (which is what provides essential nutrients), you may need to feed your lawn. Fertilizers come in a variety of types these days, so examine options carefully. Always buy a product specifically designed to work well on the type of turf you have, as they all need different levels of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and other compounds.
Read the label on the fertilizer you buy, too, to find out how much product to apply. Plus, it pays to use a drop spreader to apply feed evenly and consistently. If it doesn’t rain within three days of this application, water the lawn to help the fertilizer sink in.
Yard maintenance is another job you need to fit into an already busy schedule, but by spending just a couple of hours caring for your grass each week, you’ll soon be enjoying a lawn that’s a pleasure to look at and use.
