Lawn care can be difficult during the hottest months of the year. In the Idaho Falls area, that is July and August. It takes some effort to make sure that your lawn stays green when it gets so hot outside so often. We do our best to provide our clients with the lawn care necessary to keep the grass looking healthy and green during the intense summer heat. For those who prefer to handle lawn care themselves, here are some tips to get you through the heat.
Water
It’s pretty obvious that the best way to combat the extreme heat is by giving your lawn more of what it needs — water. The hotter it is, the more times you need to water during the day right? Wrong! Actually, your lawn care will be more effective if you just water the lawn once during the day. The key to doing it right is to water for an extended period of time to make sure the water goes deep into the soil. The best time to do this is early in the morning. This will allow you plenty of time to allow the water to get deep into the soil and roots. Plus, it will have enough time to dry out throughout the day. This is important to prevent fungal disease from setting in.
Long Grass
Keep the grass longer during the summer. Set your mower to cut the grass at about three inches high. During the spring or early summer, you can have the shorter lengths for your grass. As the heat and the sun come full-on, you’ll want to keep it longer. Grass has a crown from which new growth emerges. Cutting your grass longer during the heat of the summer will allow the blades to shade the crown and protect if from burning. Letting your blades of grass grow taller will also result in stronger roots for your lawn.
Feed Your Lawn
The heat is already here this year, but for your lawn care in the future, it is always good to get your lawn healthy, thick, and green before the heat arrives. This is done by applying fertilizer to your lawn to get it ready to take on those hot summer days. Fertilizer should be applied every six weeks or so. However, every lawn is unique so you may need to make adjustments to your schedule.
Grass Clippings
Here is an example of something that might lead to an adjustment in your fertilization schedule. When you leave grass clippings on your lawn they will break down, decompose, and create organic matter. This provides nutrients and feeds your soil. This is basically natural fertilizer. Although this may not appear as good initially it will be better for your lawn in the long run. If you really want to make the clippings fine, try raking them up and mowing over them again.
Eliminate Weeds
Once you see that there are weeds in your lawn, do something about it. The longer you wait to face this problem, the bigger it can become. And it is easier to get them out before they have time to establish themselves. Some people prefer to pull the weeds out by hand. Others will use a weeding fork. It is not recommended to use a herbicide until it is your last option.
Sharp Blades
An important part of lawn care is the way you take care of your lawn care equipment. This is especially true for your mower blades. When grass is cut with a sharp mower blade, the plant will heal faster than when cut with a dull blade. Dull mower blades will actually tear the plant tissue instead of cutting it. Grass that is torn will develop a brown appearance at the surface and may become more susceptible to stress and disease. Keeping your blades sharp will prevent this brown appearance and help to prevent additional harm to your lawn.
Run-Off
It can be tricky to get water to all parts of your lawn without ending up with water going into the road on the sidewalk. If you see this happening, it may just be that your sprinklers are shooting water past the grass area. But it also may be a sign that your lawn has too much water and the soil is saturated. This means that you should make a change in the way you are watering to be more efficient.
Aeration
In addition to water, your lawn needs air. This is why lawn care companies include aeration in their services. But you can do it on your own if you are willing to put in some work. For a lawn that isn’t too large, you can just poke holes in the soil with a fork (about every 12 inches). But you will probably want to use a machine to get it done quickly. This process allows both air and water to get down into the roots of your lawn.
Turfco Lawn Care
We all want a nice, green lawn right. That’s why Americans spend billions every year for lawn care services. The above tips will help your lawn stay green and healthy. Of course, you can also ensure that your lawn stays beautiful and green all summer with our lawn care services. We offer everything from mowing to fertilization, to pest control, and everything in between. Be sure to contact your Idaho lawn specialist to know what’s best for your specific lawn. We would love to help you!