Checklist for a Healthy Lawn
Read MorePosted on: Jul 28, 2022Raunie
It’s a great time of year to share a summer lawn care checklist to ensure your lawn thrives during the growing season. Sometimes, you’ll face an unusually hot and dry summer and your grass will be reeling from the extreme weather conditions. The hotter and drier the weather, the more water your grass will need. It is also easier for your lawn to turn yellow, and be less resistant to disease and insects. While it hasn’t been a particularly hot summer, Mother Nature has been rather quiet in the rain department. Here is the best lawn care regime for harsh summers.
Choose a Drought-Resistant Seed
If you don’t use one already, switch to a drought-resistant seed. It might be too late to save your lawn entirely from heat stress; however, with annual seeding, you can help it in the future. Drought-resistant seed such as Red Fescue or Kentucky Blue Grass are the best turf types for our climate in Southern Ontario. Additionally, these seeds are more resilient to extreme heat and can outlive these conditions with less water. It is key to seed your lawn annually to maintain and thick, lush foundation.
Water When the Temperature Cools Down
On average, lawns require about 2 inches of water per week during the summer to remain healthy and green. If the weather gets hot and dry, it’s better to water your lawn when temperatures are cooler otherwise much of it will evaporate and defeat the purpose. Therefore, you should water your lawn in the early morning so the moisture is more easily absorbed by roots. Also, watering in the morning reduces the risk of over saturation, which can cause fungus or disease. The sun takes care of any excess moisture that might be left over after the soil takes its fill.
Deep Watering vs. Shallow Watering
It is always better to water deeply for longer periods of time rather than short bursts of water. My favourite analogy is comparing the harsh temperatures and your grass to how you feel after a long run. A sip of water isn’t going to quench your thirst but the more you drink, the quicker your body will recover. The same is true for your lawn! The grass is an ecosystem that should rely on nature to fulfill its needs. Because it doesn’t rain every day in our climate, the roots of your lawn should be trained to search for water to survive. By providing short bursts of water more frequently, you are inadvertently teaching the grass to have shallow roots and therefore more susceptible to issues.
Shade Your Grassroots
It is surprising how much long grass can shade roots and keep them from bearing the full consequences of extreme heat. During harsh summer conditions, make sure your grass stays long to do just that. It is key to set your mower blade to the highest setting. This way there is a protection over the soil and the crowns of the grass blades. This effectively creates a natural security system for your lawn to reduce many different problems such as weeds, disease, insects and, fungus
Conclusion
By following this simple checklist for a healthy lawn, it will thank you for summers to come!