Did you put in months of hard work and dedication to maintain the plants and beauty of your lawn just for the summer heat to come and bake it all away? Of course not! But you are setting your plants to be roasted in your backyard if they have consistent exposure to the summer sun. You need to take extra care of your lawn during the summer heat. Primarily because what is summer without those green and yellow colors on your lawn making your day bright and cheerful? Here we have gathered the best tips for green lawns in summer.
8 Tips for Green Lawn in Summer
Summer can be particularly harsh on your lawn, causing drought, diseases, and wilting of plants. Moreover, increased traffic during the summer months doesn’t help their situation. Even the best-maintained lawn must fight all this to retain its luster. Though it is not difficult to maintain your lawn all around the year, the key is being consistent and strategic in your approach. You can use our strategic tips for a green lawn in summer.
1. Select the Right Grass
Getting started with suitable grass suiting your climate will automatically be easier to maintain. There are two types of grasses cool-season and warm-season grass[1]. Cool-season grass will be easier to keep and sustain if your temperatures stay low most of the year. Similarly, if you have hot weather most of the time, warm-season grass will work best for you. When you get the grass according to your region, you can keep it greener and healthier with little effort.
2. Replenishing the Nutrients
Feeding your lawn regularly with the nutrients it needs is essential for a thicker and healthier lawn. After 6-8 weeks, fertilizer needs to be added as the microbes in the soil process all the nutrients by then. As the temperature gets warmer, this process speeds up. Therefore, regularly replenishing nutrients is necessary to encourage growth. You can maintain a greener lawn in summer if you start fertilizing in early spring. Although do not overdo the fertilizer[2], especially with temperatures above 30 degrees, as that can also burn the lawn.
3. Properly Watering
Without a doubt, watering is essential, but are you doing it correctly? You can put in all your energy to water your lawn daily, factoring in the heat waves. But working smarter is the key here. When watering, the correct timings will give you better results efficiently. The best time to water is early morning as you will not lose moisture to evaporation, and it will penetrate deep into the roots, which will help retain water throughout the day. A sprinkler controller will be effective in being consistent with this routine. Watering late, especially around the night time, can cause diseases and infections to be borne, ruining your turf.
4. Aerate the Lawn
Another tip to achieve green lawn in summer is to aerate it. It should be done at the start of the season as it makes a massive difference in the growth of your lawn. You punch holes in the ground so water and nutrients can be absorbed deeply into the roots. This also stops the solid from getting compacted and dry. Compacted soil can trouble you greatly as it gathers water and looks like clay. Aerating helps to prevent this while balancing and restoring your lawn. You can also check if your lawn needs aerating by cutting a part of the turf and analyzing its depth to the root system.
5. Mowing
Mowing is very beneficial for your lawn. It promotes root growth and shade while preventing weeds. Moreover, it gives your lawn that fresh, green, and neat look. However, you should not overdo it during the summer. The lawn should be mowed high in summer, cutting it about 2 to 3 inches. This keeps the shade on sunny days, favors the delicate root system, and keeps the soil from drying out. You can cut the grass about 3-4 inches during the cooler months. You can set a mowing schedule, doing it once or twice each week. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mtHgdOcFGfyWVamfRn146NF7XCs4G7HC/view
6. Treat the Pests
You invest so much time and effort into growing a beautiful lawn just for a single pest to come and destroy it all. Therefore, the timely treatment of pests is essential to save your efforts and have a healthy lawn. The timely treatment means to start using pesticides in the early spring, as it is when many insects begin their lifecycle. This helps in preventing them from maturing and growing out in numbers. However, if you see splotches and brown spots that don’t go away during summer, you can use all-rounder pesticides or contact professionals to treat them.
7. Top Dress the Lawn
Top dressing is a great way to take your lawn to the next level. You apply additional material on the surface of the lawn to give it beauty and nutrients. There are different types of top dressings that you can use according to the needs of your lawn [3]. If your lawn is dull and lacks nutrients, a soil-based full dress will be the best for it. A sand-based top dress will work if you want to even out the lawn, as it is well-maintained. You should start doing a full dress in spring to see beautiful results in the summer. A top dress makes your soil rich, gives it better consistency, and makes the lawn thicker.
8. Repair Any Damage
During summer, your lawn is subject to harsh sunlight and heat, which can quickly dry out of the soil giving it discoloration and bald patches. You can fix this problem by overseeding or replacing the turf in two ways. Replacing the turf is a quick way to remove those unwanted patches. It can be done by cutting the dry section of turf with a spade; lifting and raking the soil beneath. Then the new turf can be put in that place, ensuring the edges meet. Once it is secure, you can water that area. You can use turf tablets to repair turf damage.
Conclusion
In conclusion, maintaining a green lawn during the summer heat requires a bit of effort and care, but it is worth it for the beauty and vibrancy it brings to your outdoor space. The tips mentioned in this article, including selecting the right grass, replenishing nutrients, properly watering, aerating, mowing, treating pests, top dressing, and repairing any damage, are all important aspects of maintaining a healthy lawn. By following these tips for green lawn in summer consistently and strategically, you can achieve a beautiful and lush green lawn that will make your summer days brighter and more enjoyable. Remember, it’s not just about having a beautiful lawn, but also about caring for the environment by using water wisely and preventing soil erosion.
FAQs
1. Why is it causing my lawn to turn brown and dry in summer?
Summer can be harsh on your lawn, especially if it is not well-fed and watered. Your grass will become dormant from the summer heat and develop rough, dry patches. If this happens, you must put in much effort to rejuvenate it. This will require heavy watering, reseeding, fertilizing, repairing all the damages, and keeping a tight schedule to keep up with the lawn needs.
2. What kind of fertilizer should I apply to my grass?
There are different types of fertilizers that you can use on your grass. The conditions of the grass should be kept in mind before selecting a fertilizer. Gradual-release fertilizers will work best if you want to feed the lawn over many months without constantly keeping up with it. They also release nutrients slowly into your soil without burning it.
3. How can my grass grow faster?
Your grass will grow faster if you consistently maintain and cater to its conditions. This means watering and fertilizing it on time and providing enough sunlight. Before applying the fertilizer, make sure to put it in the correct quantity so it doesn’t burn the soil.
4. How to protect my grass from the summer sun?
To protect your grass, you need to water it enough so it doesn’t dry out from the heat. Make sure you have adequate water access. Water the grass in the early morning, and keep up a schedule. Ensure your grass has enough shade, do not mow it to a skinny layer. Cut the grass only 2-3 inches so it can have a shadow, and it can restore water.
[1]https://www.moving.com/tips/10-types-of-grass-for-your-lawn/
[3]https://www.lawnstarter.com/blog/lawn-care-2/guide-topdressing-lawn-grass/