Your Lawn is Our Business
Locally & Family Owned for Over 17 years.
Current Conditions Lawn Tips
Dealing with the current weather conditions
Lawns are coming out of dormancy
Mother Nature has given us some relief from the hot and dry conditions.
As things are recovering, you may have areas or spots that aren't greening up as well as others. This is to be expected anytime we go through rough conditions as we have. Below are some examples of what you may be seeing. These slower-to-recover areas can be from a variety of reasons: areas near concrete where the extra heat dried out the soil more severely than other areas, random areas with poor or compacted soil, hills and slopes where water runs off and isn't able to absorb, different grass varieties also recover at different rates (most lawns have 2-3 different cultivars). You may also have sporadic hot spots for unknown reasons.
Hopefully, we will continue to have normal temperatures and regular rainfall. Keeping the lawn fertilized, along with rain or watering, things will continue to improve and become more uniform.
However, we still need to watch for disease and fungus. Below is more information on that, along with updated watering recommendations.
Watering Information
Now that things have cooled off a bit and we've gotten some good rains, everyone can water regularly 2-3 times a week for 30-40 minutes in each area. If the temperatures rise again, add an extra day.
If you aren't able to water regularly.
Try to water at least every 7-10 days for 30-40 minutes per section. This may not be enough to keep things green, but it will provide enough moisture to keep the plant alive and give it a better chance at revival once rain and cooler temperatures return. Our summer applications are designed to help reduce summer damage and aid in recovery once the conditions are more favorable.
Other watering tips.
*Early morning is the best time to water. Avoid watering in the late evening and overnight.
*DO NOT water shallow and often. Daily short-duration watering can be worse for your lawn than not watering at all.
*Both of the above are likely to induce fungus and disease.
Mowing Information
Mow High 3.5 to 4"
In the Summer months, hold off mowing as much as possible.
Keeping the grass taller
helps shade the soil from the sun, keeping it cooler. The taller you keep the grass, the deeper the roots will go, helping it cope with the heat and other stresses.
Avoid cutting off more than 1/3 of the grass blade
Doing so stresses the entire plant.
Keep Your Mower Blades Sharp
Dull mower blades can lead to water loss, increased disease susceptibility, difficulty coping with heat stress, and reduced turf quality after recovery.
Keep an eye out for Summer Diseases
The conditions are conducive to the growth of fungal diseases, especially when we have higher humidity, muggy nights, dew on the grass, and summer temps. It typically starts with small, somewhat round spots and can grow through your lawn if favorable conditions stay. In some cases, a fungicide treatment may be beneficial in slowing the spread and speeding up the recovery process. Some can recover on their own once the cooler temps, rain, and lower humidity return; however, the longer the conditions persist, the greater the likelihood of lasting damage. Keeping the lawn fertilized regularly will help aid in regrowth and the recovery process. Here are a few of the summer diseases you may encounter.