It's finally summer. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and you're ready to get your hands in the dirt. But before you start cutting down trees and digging up flower beds, there are a few things we need to talk about first: lawn care basics.
What should I be doing for my lawn during the spring? What time of day should I water my lawn? What can I do about weeds? How often should I mow? We'll answer these questions and more so that you can spend your time enjoying summer rather than tending to your garden all season long!
- Create a lawn care plan for the summer
Before you get started digging, planting or even buying all the necessary tools, the first thing would be to make a plan. What you want your lawn to look like, and how to achieve that goal. Make a list of all the necessary items needed. Fertilizer, mulch, a new garden hose and new sprinkler if needed, are just a few items you would need to start your summer project.
- Weed your lawn frequently to keep it healthy and looking its best
Once your plan is in place and you have all the tools and equipment needed to get started on your summer lawn plans, it’s time to get busy! Starting off by getting rid of those pesky weeds, that seem to never go away. The best way to get rid of the nuisance of weeds in your lawn is to simply pull them up by the root to avoid them coming back. When pulling the weed up by the roots, you want to slightly twist as you pull up. By doing that, you will get the root in its entirety, not just the leaves.
- Feed your grass with fertilizer in the spring, and again in late summer or early fall
Timing is everything! One of the most important questions asked is “When do I need to fertilize my lawn?” The straightforward answer is this: the best time to fertilize is during the Spring and Fall months.
- Mow your lawn when it is dry to avoid damaging the blades of grass
Mowing your lawn is one of the most important steps to achieve your lawn care goals. Lawn scalping for instance is the process of cutting your grass so short that the stems are exposed. When this happens, your grass reduces the use of photosynthesis, which then kills your lawn causing brown spots. When mowing the lawn it is best to remove only the top ⅓ inch of the grass blades. It’s best to wait until your grass blades are at least 3 inches tall. Mowing your lawn about 2 ½ inches tall is the ideal height.
- Water your lawn regularly
Watering is crucial! When watering your lawn, you want to make sure you are getting enough water to the roots of your grass. Now, remember it’s important to water your lawn but not to overwater it. Over watering your lawn can cause the lawn to suffocate and will also stunt the root growth. It’s ideal to water your lawn about one inch of water per week. It’s easier to water your lawn in 20 minute sections 3 times a week. When it comes to time of day to water, timing is everything. "A wet lawn at night is the perfect condition for fungus to grow. Along with cutting grass too short, watering at night is about the worst thing you can do to a lawn.” You want to water your lawn in the morning (before 10am). Reason for this is because it’s cooler and the winds tend to be calmer so the water can soak into the soil and be absorbed by the grass roots before it can evaporate.
Final last words
If you follow these simple tips, your lawn will look healthy and green in a matter of weeks. You'll also be able to enjoy it all year round! What other techniques do you use for keeping your grass looking great? Do you have any questions about maintaining the health of your yard? Let us know below or contact our team at Covington Naturals today so we can help answer them.
