When the dog days of summer roll around, your grass is at risk of going from lush and green to brown and crunchy. Those hot, dry days are inevitable and they can take a toll on your lawn. The good news is you can be ready! Here are a few summer lawn care tips to maintain a fresh, healthy lawn through the heat of summer.
Feed Early and Often
The time needed between fertilizer applications during the summer months is less than it is in the spring or fall. This is due to the fact that microbes in the soil absorb the nutrients at a much faster pace. Applying fertilizer in the early summer months provides your grass with plenty of nutrients to grow quickly. Applying fertilizer often throughout summer will ensure that your grass has the nutrients it needs to survive. Be sure to check out our 6-step hybrid lawn care program, where we ensure your lawn gets the feeding it needs, when it’s needed.
Manage Thatch
Thatch is the buildup of dead grass stems, shoots, and roots that occurs between the grass and the surface of the soil. Excessive amounts of thatch can be detrimental to your lawn. This is especially true during the summer months, as the buildup of thatch can prevent your grass from getting the nutrients.
The most common causes of thatch are:
- The overuse of inorganic fertilizers
- The overuse of pesticides and fungicides
- High amounts of grass clippings left on the lawn for extended periods of time
One of the best ways to manage soil compaction, caused by thatch, is through a process called core aeration. During this process, small plugs of grass and soil will be removed from the ground, alleviating compaction and allowing for the proper flow of air, water, and nutrients to your grass’ root systems. Ultimately eliminating the problems caused by thatch and providing your lawn with what it needs for lush, healthy growth all season long. If you have a small yard, then a dethatching rake will be more than enough to take care of your thatch.
Weekly Care
Mowing and watering are two of the most important weekly summer lawn care tasks this summer, and you’ll want to be sure to do both properly. Always mow high, especially during the hottest weeks. This will allow the roots to grow deeper and develop further as they reach down for moisture and nutrients on those hot days. Water weekly and deeply (no more than one inch per week), which will help those root systems develop further. It’s best to water in the mornings and never in the evenings as standing water on your lawn overnight opens a door to potential lawn diseases and fungi.
Watch for Weeds
Weeds will take moisture and nutrients from your grass to use for their own growth and germination. Add weeding to your weekly summer lawn care checklist. Take a walk through your lawn each week and pull or spray any weeds that have popped up. This will ensure the nutrients go where they’re supposed to, directly to your grass’ root systems.
Watch for Signs of Distress
If you notice signs of distress in your lawn, chances are there is something wrong. Large, sometimes circular patches of dead or dying grass are a common sign of a lawn disease or insect infestation. Two of the more common summer lawn diseases are brown patch, which affects cool season grass, and large patch, which affects warm season grass. Both diseases occur when the temperature reaches 70 degrees consistently and when moisture levels are high.
Chinch bugs and grubs are two of the most common summer lawn pests. Chinch bugs are surface feeders that suck nutrients from the grass blades, causing the grass to dry out and die. Grubs chew through the grass’ root systems, making it difficult for the grass blades to receive the nutrients they need. Being able to identify these lawn pests and diseases early enables you to act quickly. Ultimately, early detection could help prevent the spread of the disease or infestation to other parts of your lawn.
Looking for more summer lawn care tips? Consult the professionals.
At Elements Lawn & Pest, we provide the services you need to maintain a healthy lawn, all summer long. Contact us here or give us a call at (856) 375-1340 to hear more about our summer lawn care programs. Let us help you get that lush, healthy lawn so you can enjoy the outdoors this summer. Call today to request a quote!