When it Comes to Summer Lawn Care, Timing is Everything.
It’s summer. It’s hot. The rains of the past spring are a bittersweet memory. Unless you have a sprinkler system, your lawn grass is likely turning brown and dry. Having a beautiful green lawn is one of the joys of homeownership. There are many steps you can take to keep your lawn beautiful. Here at Designer Landscapes, we have a 5-Step Yard Care Service. Summer usually means we're on Step 3. If you're not using a regular lawn care service, here are some some tips to bring your lawn back to life.
Why is my grass turning brown?
With spring rain, lawns get used to all the water. By saying this, I mean the grass plants themselves did not have to grow deep to find moisture, so the roots have stayed pretty shallow, near the surface. Summer's hot and dry climate means it's harder for the shallow roots to find water. So thirsty lawns are going dormant (not growing and not very green).
So how do you make the roots grow deeper?
Summer grass treatments: Don't burn your lawn
A problem that makes the entire situation worse, is that lawn care companies are still going out and applying strong fertilizers. This literally burns your lawn. If your lawn has irrigation, that’s fine. But if you don’t, keep an eye on your lawn care company and make sure they’re not using harsh fertilizers. Put a “hold” on your lawn care until rain returns.
We know it’s frustrating to see your summer lawn turn brown. But you’ll do more harm than good if you fertilize now. Look around and you will see extremely brown lawns—this is not what homeowners want for the money they are spending for the service. Contact us for a custom plan for your lawn.
What About the Lawn Grubs?
If your grass is already brown, there's no need to treat the grass for grubs. Grubs will not attack an actively growing lawn. They will find a lush green lawn to eat and destroy.
When Should I Water My Lawn?
Avoid watering in the heat of the day. A lot of water will just evaporate on your grass before it has a chance to feed the roots. Early morning the best time to water your lawn. Early evening is also better than the scorching sun of the hot weather.
How Should I Care for New Sod?
If you’ve got new grass this year, I hope you’ve remembered to water it. If my team at Designer Landscapes installed it, you received instructions about how to care for it. Remember: you need to water it about twice a day to keep it alive and encourage the roots to grow
If you decide to water, your lawn needs at least 1 inch per week. Once you start, keep at it so you can bring your grass out of dormancy. It should come back after the rain starts coming again. But if areas don’t come back, then over-seeding may be needed in the fall.
It's not too late to save your grass!
Proper timing is the key to any successful lawn care program. So we wait for mother nature to bring back some rain. When the time is right, our lawn care team will be back out to apply Step 3 lawn care.
For now, think of it as a well-deserved break from weekly mowing. Put up your feet and enjoy the rest of your garden landscape. But make a plan for better grass next year. Contact us for a consultation.