With summer heat feeling relentless across much of the country, your thoughts may be turning to your lawn and how you should care for it amidst the dry, hot stretch of summer's peak. If you want to come out the other side of the dog days of summer with a thriving lawn, there are a few key things that you need to think about. Here's a look at some of the things that you need to know about your lawn maintenance needs through the peak summer heat.
Shorter Isn't Always Better
You might be tempted to cut your grass as short as possible to reduce how often you need to mow. While this might allow you to go a little bit longer between mowings, it's not the best thing for your grass, especially not in the peak heat of summer. Instead, leave the grass as close as possible to the longest height recommendation for that grass type. The longer you leave the grass, the deeper the root system grows, which can make it easier for the grass to find water during the hot, dry weeks of summer. Further, when you do cut the grass, don't cut any more than about a third of the total blade height so that the grass can continue to root as deeply as possible for water access and to maintain ground shading to minimize evaporation.
Sharp Blades Are Important
Your mower's blades need to stay as sharp as possible to avoid causing unnecessary damage to your grass. Especially during the hot summer stretch, your grass is struggling enough already. If you cut it with mower blades that haven't been sharpened, the blade is likely tearing the grass instead of actually cutting it. This can cause jagged edges and trauma to the grass, which may make it more prone to dying off in the extreme heat and drought of summer.
Mulch Is Better Than Bagging
You might be tempted to bag your grass clippings to keep the clippings off your lawn, although it's actually best to mulch the clippings during the hottest stretch of summer. When you bag those clippings, you're eliminating ground cover that could help keep the soil cooler, and you're also stripping away something that can add vital nutrients back into the soil. Skip the bagger and mulch your grass during the hottest stretch this summer.
These are a few of the most important things to consider when you're dealing with lawn maintenance this summer. Don't let the summer heat destroy your lawn. Talk with a lawn maintenance company near you for more help.
