Lawn Care in Hot Weather

One  misconception about maintaining grass in extreme heat is the necessity to overwater. A glaring issue is that after rainfall, people still irrigate their lawn. A general rule to keep in mind is that turf grasses do better managed on the dry side rather than wet; when soil is constantly wet, it creates too many physiological problems for plants and soil organisms alike. The grass roots will be deprived of oxygen and may become more susceptible to disease because diseases thrive in wet conditions. In general, the drier the grass and soil, the less disease there will be.

Another rule-of-thumb is to water “deeply and infrequently.” Water deeply to wet the entire root zone, and then do not water again until the grass is dry. To determine next watering time, simply “eye-it.” If it starts to look dry, then water. If you would like to be specific, water the hot spots (spots that get dry faster than the rest of the lawn) and then wait for the rest of the lawn to dry out.

While it is important to be adequate on hydration, do not water the grass daily. Lawns need only one-inch of water per week, including rainfall.

THE “ONE-THIRD” RULE

When deciding on the correct height to cut your grass, it is important to also remember the “one-third” rule: never remove more than one-third of the grass height at one time. By doing so, the lawn is kept cooler because less plant tissue is removed. In fact, cool season grass types actually benefit in the heat of the summer by setting the blade higher. If a lawn is normally cut at 2.5 inches, for example, increasing it to 3 inches in the heat of summer will come with many benefits.

Water

The best way to beat the heat is by watering. One inch of water per week keeps grass healthy. Once you start to water don’t stop. Less frequent, deeper waterings are better than frequent shallow ones. Watering for longer periods of time less often will promote deeper roots, greater drought tolerance and less maintenance. Water your lawn in the morning when it is cool to allow more water to soak into the ground rather than evaporate. Avoid watering in the evening to prevent fungus and disease.

Fertilization

It’s best to apply fertilizer on a cool morning in the summer. Our slow-release fertilizer provides a prolonged feeding with a minimal danger of burning heat-stressed grass.

A well-fertilized lawn is not only greener, it is better at preventing infestation by weeds as well as drought and disease.  A healthy lawn also enhances the look of your residential property and produces a professional and pleasing environment to your Commercial Property.  Fertilizers provide your lawn with the nutrients needed to produce strong roots and strong grass that resists disease, insects, weeds and drought.  Fertilizing your Lawn is key in the year round care of your lawn. 

Nelson’s Landscaping of Milwaukee will customize a fertilization program tailored for your individual properties needs.  From lawn fertilization, weed control and insect control, we have a program suited for your needs with both custom programs as well as ALL NATURAL Fertilization programs.