Summer is around the corner and green grass season is here. It is time to ramp up that competition for the nicest lawn on the block.
Americans take great pride in lawn care. In fact, the lawn care industry in the United States is valued at over $40 billion.
Homebuyers specifically are looking for houses with a well-manicured yard. Real estate experts estimate that a nice front yard adds up to 11% to a home’s value.
Read on to learn how to keep your lawn green in the summer heat. Explore eight lawn maintenance tips that are certain to keep your grass thick and green.
1. Do Not Cut the Grass too Short
Many homeowners make the mistake of cutting their grass too short. This hurts the yard in many different ways.
For starters, longer and thicker grass provides natural shading for the roots. By cutting the grass too short, you are exposing it to more direct sunlight.
This leaves the yard vulnerable to burning. The rule of thumb is not to cut more than one-third of a blade of grass.
Mowing the grass correctly is more complex than walking up and down with a mower. There is no shame in bringing in a professional company like Mow Managers to cut the grass correctly.
2. Do Not Overwater the Grass
Another common mistake is to overwater the lawn. Far too many homeowners think that extra water is their friend. However, this misperception could not be further from the truth.
Your yard only needs 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week. Providing the correct amount of water allows the roots to develop further.
The roots need to grow longer to access the water stored deeper in the soil. By overwatering, the roots do not need to work as hard and stay shorter. The result is weaker grass that is more susceptible to dying.
3. Water at the Right Time
The next step is watering at the right time of day. A surprising number of people inefficiently water their grass or potentially harm it.
The worst time of day to water the grass is from 10 AM to 4 PM. It is at this time that the sun is highest in the sky and at its strongest point.
Watering at this time is inefficient because the water is quickly evaporated. In some cases, it may lead to burning.
The evening is also a bad time to water the grass. Leaving the grass wet overnight leaves it susceptible to fungus and other types of lawn disease.
The best time to water your grass is in the early morning. This gives the soil time to absorb the water before it gets too hot.
4. Feed the Grass
Like any living thing, grass requires food to grow longer and thicker. Providing fertilizer to the grass is how you feed it.
Fertilizer contains the nutrients that help foster a healthy and bountiful lawn. If you are a DIY person, it is important to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for fertilizer application.
The back of the bag tells you when to apply the fertilizer. It also provides application directions such as watering it in properly.
There are different types of fertilizer depending on the season and where you live. For example, fertilizer with crabgrass preventer is laid down in the early spring for northeastern states.
5. Watch for Brown Spots
Many homeowners see a brown spot and automatically think the lawn needs more water. However, brown spots may indicate the presence of a more serious issue.
Specifically, your grass may be under attack from insects. Lawn disease is another issue that results in brown spots.
The good news is that there are commercial products out there to help. You can lay down insecticide or fungicide to address the root causes behind these issues.
6. Keep Traffic Down
Excess traffic is another factor that affects your yard’s quality. Few people want to be the grumpy homeowner that yells at anyone who steps on the grass. However, the truth is that walking and playing on the grass frequently damages it.
It makes the grass weaker and potentially even die off. While it may seem extreme, the best bet is to treat your grass delicately.
Even riding lawn mowers can damage your grass. An old-fashioned push mower is more delicate on the grass.
These tips are especially true on seedlings. New grass will not grow if there is any traffic on it.
7. Sharpen the Mower Blade
Far too many homeowners do not regularly maintain their lawnmowers. One critical maintenance task that is overlooked is sharpening the mower blade.
An unsharpened mower blade is tearing blades of grass instead of cutting it. This leaves brown tips on the edge of each blade of grass. This takes away from your yard’s dark green potential.
You can prevent this by removing the mower blade and sharpening it. The lawn mower’s maintenance manual provides instructions for doing this. It is not complicated, and the average homeowner can do this.
8. Keep Pets Off the Yard
Your furry loved ones may be preventing your grass from reaching its max potential. This is because pets have a little habit of urinating on the grass.
The acidity in urine is destructive to the grass. Instead, you need to train your pet to go to the bathroom elsewhere.
The best bet is to take your pet for a walk for its bathroom needs. Another option is to lay down some rocks for the pet to go on.
How To Keep Lawn Green In Summer Heat
Summer heat puts a beating on millions of homeowners’ lawns. The good news is that your lawn can beat the summer heat with the proper care.
Taking steps such as sharpening your mower blade and regularly fertilizing go a long way. Effective summer lawn care also includes watering at the right time and not cutting the grass too short.
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