TMD July 2

Do I need to treat my lawn any different during the summer?

During the months of July and August, daytime temperatures usually stay in the upper nineties and there isn't much rain to speak of.  Many yard grasses can start turning brown  or start going into a premature dormancy.  Unless this summer proves to be different, there are a few things you can do to keep your yard green and healthy.

Start by raising the blades of your mower to where your grass is cut at a 3-4 inch height.  Lawn grasses cut too short invites weeds along with some types of disease.  Lawns cut shorter  will also need more water to survive.  Grass that is cut shorter in the summer months will expose more of the surface to the sun which will dry out the ground sooner.  Grass that is cut higher will shade the soil and help against evaporation.  

Keeping your mower blades sharp contributes to a healthy lawn.  Dull blades have a tendency to tear grass, shredding the ends.  This can result in more water loss out of the shredded ends and may also invite disease.  

When mowing the lawn, keep from doing so during the heat of the day if possible and leave clippings on the lawn if you mow frequently.  Mowing during the hottest part of the day can turn your lawn brown and removing the clippings will take away plant nutrients and invite loss of soil moisture through evaporation.  Grass clipping are around 85% water.

Water your lawn early in the morning when evaporation from the sun is at its lowest.  Also  remember to water less frequently with more water.  Use about one inch of water per session.  If you're not sure, place a rain gauge down where you water.  Deep watering will encourage roots to grow deeper into the soil where water is retained longer.  People that water their lawns daily or every two days with just a little water will train the plant's roots to grow upward to the top of the soil to get the water.  This means that the days when the grass doesn't get water, the roots dry out and plants can die.  

My quote of the week comes from Albert Einstein.  It reads, "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it limits."