In the summertime, we all want our yards to be beautiful. But, the summer season is also when lawns require the most maintenance. Plus, knowing how to take care of different types of grasses on your property can be challenging. So, how do you keep your yard up for summer?
Fertilize warm-season grasses.
Warm-season turfgrasses thrive in the summer heat. In the summer heat, it is best to fertilize bermudagrass, buffalo grasses, and zoysia grasses. If you have any Fescue grass or bluegrass variation, you should have fertilized in early spring.
Don’t water daily.
While it might seem like a good idea to water your yard every day, it’s better to soak your lawn once or twice a week. Daily watering tends to overuse water, which isn’t optimal for grass growth.
Follow city watering restrictions.
A good rule of thumb regarding watering is to follow voluntary watering restrictions because they are designed to keep the grass in the city growing without wasting water. They can be found easily by doing a quick Google search or going to your city website directly.
Sharpen your mower blades.
Dull mower blades harm the overall health of your grass. Mower blades that aren’t sharp tear grass instead of cutting a clean edge, which creates ragged edges that are the perfect opening for disease organisms. Generally, a mower blade stays sharp for ten hours of mowing, so sharpen it after ten hours of use. If you’re experienced and handy, you can sharpen your blades with a metal file. Otherwise, we recommend calling a professional!
Adjust your mower height.
You want to keep your grass longer in the summer than you would during other seasons. Taller grass blades will shade the soil from the sun so that less water evaporates from your lawn. Longer grass also means that your grass will have longer roots and that weed seeds will have difficulty germinating.
Mow frequently.
Most lawn care experts recommend that homeowners mow their yard frequently enough, never to remove more than 1/3 of the stem. Depending on how much rain you get (or how much you water), this can mean mowing every 1-3 weeks.
At Watermaster, we are experts in lawn care, so call us today at (806) 797-9044 or contact us online.