News Edition
When summer comes and everything dries out, your grass will most likely do the same. Taking care of it means more water, more mowing, and paying closer attention to the state of your lawn during the day. It also means adapting your maintenance to the weather you’ve been experiencing. It’s very easy to overwater your lawn or underwater it, depending on your climate.
However, just because lawn care takes more effort over the summer, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to do–or even incredibly hard. There are a few, simple things you can do to keep your grass lawn perfect this summer.
Water Properly
Watering your lawn properly is something that takes more thought and care than you might expect. With the heat of the day and the more intense sunlight that comes with the summer months, your lawn will dry out more often. However, that doesn’t mean you should be watering more often. Watering in frequent, short bursts creates shallow and weak roots in your lawn (and potentially cultivates weed growth).
Your goal should be to water your lawn infrequently, in longer intervals, and during the cooler moments of the day. A general guideline is to water your lawn once or twice a week for anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour in the early morning hours before the heat sets in. But don’t just blindly follow instructions that you find on the internet. Keep an eye on your lawn and what it specifically needs. If you live in a humid and rainy climate, you may not need to water as frequently as someone who lives in an arid climate.
Keep Blades Sharp
Maintaining sharp blades on your mower is beneficial for both you and your lawn. Dull blades tear the blades of grass rather than cut through them. The difference between the two is slight, but it makes a large difference in the lifespan of your mower. The process of tearing the grass wears down the blades over time, making them less effective and potentially damaging your mower itself.
Keep Your Grass Tall
Grass grows faster in the warmer months, and while it may be tempting to cut it short and put off having to brave the heat and mow again, there are benefits to keeping your grass on the taller side during the summer. Taller blades of grass provide more shade to the soil. This helps prevent rampant soil evaporation (though you can’t stop all of it), which cultivates deeper roots and healthier grass.
Leave Clippings Where They Are
It can be tempting to gather up grass clippings after you mow to leave your grass in order to leave your lawn looking perfect, but the clippings provide benefits if you leave them where they are. They provide shade for the soil in the same way that longer grass blades do. As they decompose, the clippings become a natural fertilizer, feeding your grass in a better way than artificial fertilizers would.
Taking care of your lawn while it’s scorching hot outside may be more involved than during the rest of the year, but it’s not impossible to do well. Pay attention to what your lawn needs and follow these tips to care for it as best you can.
