For much of the country, temperatures were unseasonably cool during the spring and early summer of 2019. Factor in high levels of rainfall during the early spring and lawns across the country never looked so lush, green and healthy to the delight of homeowners and businesses.
But meteorological patterns rarely stay constant, as was evident in mid-July when scorching temperatures neared 100 degrees from coast to coast.
Suddenly, lawns which had grown accustom to mild temperatures and a regular watering from Mother Nature were now being suffocated by the extreme summer heat.
But all is not lost. Below are three things you can easily do to help protect your lawn from the impacts of the summer heat.
- Don’t water your lawn during the middle of the day. While many homeowners believe they’re actually helping cool off their lawn by watering when the sun is blazing, the reality is little of that moisture actually makes its way into the root system thanks to evaporation. Watering when the sun goes down is more beneficial for your lawn, and your wallet.
- Don’t cut your grass too short when it’s hot. Many homeowners like to cut their grass on the lowest setting, thus preventing them from having to cut it more frequently during the season. But in doing so, you’re preventing taller blades of grass from properly shading the root system and increasing the possibility of burn damage during the summer.
- Don’t bag your clippings. There’s a great deal of water and nutrients in the blades of grass you bag and throw away on a weekly basis. Especially during the summer months, put that moisture back into the ground by mulching your lawn clippings instead of bagging. If you’re mower is not equipped with a mulching blade, they’re reasonably priced at your local home improvement store and easy to install.
Lawns are resilient and often cope with extremes in temperature much better than we do. However, there are some tried and true practices that will help your lawn remain strong through the heat of summer.
For more information on caring for your lawn, contact SavATree today.