While many lawns strain in the sweltering summer heat, there are others that remain green and sturdy as ever. It is absolutely possible to have a stunning lawn despite the hot, dry environment, without straining too hard. With the right amount of water and maintenance, you can have a healthy, lush lawn all summer. If you live in St. Louis, St. Louis Lawn Care Services can provide expert lawn care for you during the summer.
If you consistently follow these tips, your yard will remain vibrant as ever.
The summer is when you need to set your mower at its highest settings. Cutting your grass high enables the grass to grow long roots that can access the moisture trapped deep down in the soil. Cutting the grass too short can also cause permanent damage, making it turn yellow and look unpleasant. Aim for 10-15mm or 40mm maximum for a family-friendly lawn where your family can relax on.
You should also keep your mower’s blades sharp to avoid damaging the grass. If the tips of the grass are yellow or white, it is time to take the mower to a professional to sharpen the blades. You are advised to keep the cut grass on the lawn to provide mulch and nutrients for the lawn.
As the grass is growing rather rapidly at this time, you will need more mowing, almost twice a week. Repeated mowing strips the soil of nitrogen, so you need to feed it with a slow-release granular fertilizer explicitly built for the spring or summer. The best time to apply fertilizer would be in the evening or when the sun is overcast and on moist soil. Also, avoid applying spring/summer fertilizer just after August as the excess nitrogen is not desirable during autumn.
Constant watering for a healthy summer patch goes without saying. Short grass needs even more watering, but so does long grass. Frequent shallow watering makes the grass grow short roots that can barely absorb moisture, causing the lawn to strain in the sun. The best way to water your lawn is deeply and infrequently while making sure that your lawn accesses at least 1″ of water every week. Again, you need to water the yard just before sunrise and just after sunset to minimize water loss via evaporation.
Your lawn may have a grass variety that cannot withstand the hot summer environment. You might also observe some bare and brown areas that the winter impacted. Before reseeding, prepare your lawn by weeding it and removing stones, applying a quick-release fertilizer then moistening the soil. Once your yard is ready, spread the seed, while paying particular attention to the thinned out, brown areas. Then water and roll the lawn.
Many varieties have been developed to survive the summer heat, and if your area has unusually high temperatures, you need to consider reseeding your lawn using these varieties during the spring when conditions are perfect for grass growth. Come the summer, your yard will look vibrant despite the heat.
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