Is your lawn looking tired and worn down? Are you seeing more brown and yellow than green? You’re not alone. We can help you bring your lawn back to life even if it seems to have given up. Protecting your lawn from the extreme weather of summer is a challenge but it can be done. Our tips will help you maintain a lush, healthy lawn for you to enjoy and will increase overall curb appeal.
- Sharpen your mower blades. This is very important, especially in the summer. Cutting with dull blades will cause grass blades to fray. Frayed blades of grass are more susceptible to browning and the development of fungal and other diseases, especially when combined with moisture from dew and rainfall.
- Mow your lawn weekly, and don’t cut it too short. Keeping your lawn between 3 and 3.5” tall in the summer will encourage deep root development that will help inhibit weed growth. This will also make your lawn less dependent on water.
- Mow at mid-morning, and only when the grass is dry. This time frame – after the morning dew dries and before the heat of the day sets in – allows sufficient time for the lawn to heal before dew sets in again at nightfall. Wet grass blades tend to bend, which is problematic when mowing, and as mentioned, frayed, or damaged blades of grass are susceptible to disease from moisture.
- Water your lawn early in the morning, and not on mowing days. A tall fescue lawn requires 1” of water each week to thrive. When a fescue lawn doesn’t receive adequate amounts of water, it’s roots may be weakened. A weakened root system will lead to disease and damage.
- Apply fertilizer to a freshly mowed, dry lawn every 5-6 weeks. Applying fertilizer to a wet lawn may prevent the nutrients from even distribution. Regarding fertilizer – N-P-K can be better understood when it is read as Up, Down, All-around. Nitrogen (N) promotes green growth (Up); Phosphorus (P) promotes root, fruit, and flower development (Down); Potassium (K) promotes disease and drought tolerance (All-around). We like Espoma Summer Revitalizer for summer lawn care, and other organic Espoma lawn fertilizers throughout the year. Note – Herbicides should not be applied this time of year.
- Apply grub control treatments as needed. Grubs are pests that weaken and destroy the root system. We like milky spore because it only affects Japanese Beetle Grubs.
- Treat pet stains in your lawn by deeply watering the affected area within 8 hours of contact.
- Resist the urge to aerate, dethatch, or overseed your lawn in the summer. Those tasks are best done in the fall.
As always, feel free to contact the experts at Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center to discuss your specific needs. Whether it’s bringing your tired lawn back to life, starting from scratch with sod, or going lawn-free altogether, we are here to assist! Contact Joey at 410-255-7730 or landscaping@himmelsgardencenter.com to schedule your free consultation today!
