Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors. Before you pack your bags and go on a road trip, consider the state of your front and back yards. At the height of summer heat, your lawn can easily turn from green to brown, especially if you do not take extra care of it during this season. Don’t you ever wonder how your neighbours keep their grass green? Here are some tips on making your lawn survive the sweltering sun.
Avoid Pesticides, Fungicides, and Insecticides
Image courtesy of Chatirygirl on Flickr
One of the mistakes of most homeowners when it comes to maintaining their lawn is spraying different kinds of chemicals to kill insects, fungi, and other types of pests. Getting rid of these crawlers are important in keeping your yard healthy. However, these chemicals also kill good microorganisms that keep your soil in good condition.
Don’t Cut the Grass too Short
Taller grass help keep weeds out as they stop the growth of weed seeds. In addition, taller grass helps control the temperature of the soil. When the ground is cool, it holds moisture longer, which encourages production of soil microbes. These microbes help plants get nutrients from the soil but turning these nutrients into substances that plants can absorb. Cutting 3.5 to 4 inches off the grass is ideal. In most lawn mowers, you can do this by using the highest setting.
Fertilize Your Lawn Regularly
Following a schedule for fertilizing your lawn helps keep your grass healthy all year round. Some experts recommend fertilizing it at least twice a year, in spring and mid-summer. The best time to fertilize the yard is when the grass is dry and after you’ve mowed the lawn. This way, the fertilizer won’t stick to the grass blade. Fertilizing when the grass is wet could damage the lawn.
To keep your grass green, you should learn how to choose the right product to use for your front and backyard. Different products on the market have different compositions. Consider choosing those with higher nitrogen content. This stimulates growth and gives your lawn a deep green tone.
You may choose to fertilize more often than twice in a year, but this would mean spending more time on your yard than you’d like. Fertilizing your lawn often but not being able to trim the grass regularly put the grass at risk of insects and diseases. More growth equals to more mowing and watering duties. If you don’t have time for this, you can always hire a tradesman to do it for you.
Water Deeply
A brown lawn is unsightly. This doesn’t mean, however, that the grass is dead or unhealthy. Most often than not, the lower portion of the plant, the part that the sun doesn’t reach, is alive and healthy.
For a greener lawn during this season, consider watering your yard deeply. This means keeping the sprinkler on longer but reducing the times you water the yard during the week. When you only water the yard for a short time, say 10 minutes, there may not be enough moisture that reach the roots of the grass. When the grass doesn’t receive enough nutrients, they will turn brown and wilt. You don’t have to water the yard frequently to keep it green all summer. For instance, you may water the yard for an hour once or twice a week, the more moisture that reach the roots, the better.
Don’t let your yard suffering from the heat. Keep it green by learning how to care for it properly. If you need help, contact a reliable tradesman in Australia with a green thumb.
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