Tips for a Green Lawn All Summer Long

If you want a lush, emerald green lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood, it’s time to get started on preparing it before the peak summer heat arrives.

Not only will that green lawn offer you bragging rights, but it also amplifies the curb appeal of your house and feels better between your bare toes! Ready to get started?

How To Keep Your Lawn Green During The Summer

Weed and feed

If you didn’t weed and feed your lawn in the springtime, get to it as soon as possible! Weed and feed provides a dual-pronged approach to lawn care.

First, it selectively kills off the weeds while the grass escapes unscathed. Weed treatment is critical because the weeds compete with your grass for both nutrients and water during the hotter temperatures.

Second, it fertilizes the grass with much-needed nitrogen so it will become robust enough to withstand the heat of the summer. When you don’t feed, your lawn can, in fact, become an anemic, pale-looking hue rather than the vibrant green you desire.

Initially, this process makes your lawn kill off patches and look thinner. But, as the grass absorbs the nutrients, it will spring back to life and look greener than ever.

Know how to mow

Next, you should know how to mow. Mow regularly, about once weekly, depending on how rapidly your grass species grows. When you cut the lawn, cut no more than 1/3 of the overall grass height to prevent an ugly, scalped look that damages the grass.

Also, don’t cut it in the same pattern every week. Cut it one direction week one, and in a perpendicular pattern on week two. This variation allows the blades of grass to recover and stand tall again.

Keep the mower blades sharp

Never cut grass with dull lawn mower blades. It weakens the blades of grass and does them untold damage.

Let’s illustrate this with a familiar scenario. Have you ever tried to cut a yummy, red tomato with a dull knife? You probably have, and you found that you squished and bruised the tomato and it leaked out all the good, nutritious parts.

The same thing happens to your lawn if you mow with dull blades. Get them professionally sharpened or replaced at the beginning of the season, then inspect them for sharpness every two months.

Watering tips and tricks

If you conduct rapid watering sessions several times per week, the layer of water you’re laying down does not have time to penetrate to the roots fully. This technique causes grass that withers in the middle of the heat.

Instead, water less frequently, but water for longer sessions. That lengthened watering time will allow the water to trickle all the way down to the roots of your grass—where it’s needed during the hottest part of the year.

Also, water in the morning instead of in the afternoon or at night.

If you water in the afternoon, the rays of the sun are magnified by the water droplets and can you’re your grass. When you water in the evening or night, a dense layer of dew drops over your efforts. This moisture can spur the growth of molds, mildews, and diseases that can harm your grass.

On the other hand, giving your grass a long drink of water in the morning allows the moisture to absorb and then dry slowly without burning. You’ll be rewarded with a healthier lawn.

Keep on the lookout for unwanted pests

Your lawn has enemies, and they will wage an assault on your best efforts at lawn care.

Your lawn offers an optimal environment for grubs, moths called sod webworms, and chinch bugs. Each of these species does damage by feasting on your grass. Not only do they munch contentedly wreaking havoc on the integrity of each grass blade, but they also leave their saliva in their wake, which causes a brown or yellow appearance in the patches where they feast.

If you spot these intruders, call a pest control company for treatment. Or, if you prefer a Saturday DIY, spread granular insect killer to stop them dead. Literally.

Yes, you can have a green lawn all summer long!

Yes, indeed you can have a green lawn all summer long. Implement these tips, and you’ll soon hold the title of the best lawn ion the block.