Lawn care takes up to about 70 hours per household during the three hot summer months. If you’re going to put forth the effort to take care of your lawn and make sure it looks presentable, why not do it the right way? Below are a few mistakes most homeowners make when it comes to their yards and the tips we’ve come up with to help you avoid them!
Timing is Key
Watering your lawn in the summer is the most important thing you can do, but remember watering is more effective in the morning than any other time of the day. John Deere experts say any time before 10 A.M. is ideal when watering your lawn. This will prevent your grass from being wet for too long, but the bulk of the moisture also won’t just evaporate, maximizing the amount of water your lawn gets. Grass left wet overnight promotes fungal growth, in turn killing your lawn.
Don’t Over-Mow
One of the biggest mistakes people make in the summer is over-mowing their lawn. Many people unwittingly cut their grass far too short: every time you mow, you should only cut about ⅓ of the grass length. While cutting it short means, you don’t have to mow as often. You’re killing your grass so it won’t be green and luscious anymore. Cutting more grass can cause a build-up of clippings that take longer to decompose and stunt grass growth. Allowing your grass to grow longer promotes healthy growth, for greener, denser grass, and a better-looking lawn.
Mix It Up
Instead of mowing in the same up-and-down, back-and-forth pattern every time, switch it up! Go diagonally, crosshatch, anything you can come up with. The wear-and-tear of mowing the same way every time is detrimental to grass health. From the weight of the mower to the accumulation excess of clippings, mixing up the way you mow will be very beneficial to your grass.
Keep Your Blades Sharp
Like shaving, a dull blade can be very harmful. Dull blades cut the grass unevenly, unlike a sharp blade that creates even, clean cuts. This creates potential entryways for disease or fungus to enter the blades of grass and infect your lawn. Manufacturers of lawnmowers suggest sharpening their blades after about 10 hours of use for the most effective cutting. It is essential to use the sharpest blades you can while maintaining care of your lawn in the summer.
Solve Next Season’s Issues Now
While you may not realize it, your grass goes through cycles just as the seasons do and all of your hard work now may not show results until the next season, if not the following year. So, prepare your summer lawn for the seasons to come as well as for the later summer. Many summer pests come out at the end of the summer season like chinch bugs, mole crickets, and ants, which are all more likely to come out with the hotter climates. Every homeowner has their way of dealing with pests in their lawns; whether it’s chemicals or natural solutions, it’s essential to take care of these issues sooner rather than later. Brown spots, thinning grass, and chewed blades are all signs of pests in your lawn, and that means it’s time to take care of these issues.
