You’ve worked hard on creating a beautiful, lush lawn, and here comes summer. Don’t let the extreme heat wreak havoc on all that hard work that you’ve put in. The following tips will help you ensure that your lawn stays in good shape during the dog days of summer.

When the summer is bringing record-breaking temperatures, what are you supposed to do to ensure that your lawn doesn’t take a huge hit? Heat waves can have a serious negative effect on your entire landscape. The heat from the sun can cause your grass and plants to wilt, burn, and suffer if they’re not adequately cared for. Caring for your lawn in the extreme heat is a bit different than how you typically care for your lawn. Similar to the way that you require additional care during the heat, your lawn does as well. Read on to learn specific tips regarding irrigation and mowing when the temperatures are extremely high.

Irrigation

Depending on the outside temperatures, your lawn may need to be watered on a daily basis, but it may only require twice-weekly waterings. Hot days with temperatures above 85 degrees usually mean that you should water three or four times throughout the week. If the temperatures remain at 90 degrees or more for numerous days, you may need to water your lawn more frequently. During extreme heat, you will need to watch your lawn closely to determine its health. A couple of indicators of dry grass that requires water include:

• Curled up or wilting grass
• Grass that doesn’t bounce back after it’s been walked on

Another tip is that you can water the grass yourself, or you can opt to set your irrigation system to water the grass early in the morning. In doing the latter, it allows additional time for the grass to soak the water in prior to the sun beaming down and evaporating the water. However, you need to use caution because fungus and other issues can crop up if too much water ends up in the lawn. If rains come in, this counts as a day of watering. One thing to consider is that less frequent watering helps to promote the deep growth of the roots for a beautifully lush and green lawn. During times of extreme heat, irrigation ultimately becomes a balancing act.

Mowing

When it comes to mowing, you should mow frequently and at a higher setting to ensure that the grass remains at two to three inches in height. This allows for adequate water absorption, less chance of the weeds spreading, and deeper grass roots. While this will lead to additional work, it will indeed be worth it in the end. Make sure that you remember to stay hydrated, particularly if you are using a push mower in the extreme heat.

If you are looking for lawn care service in your area, don’t hesitate to contact us at Earthscapes Design. We can provide you with additional tips on keeping your lawn in great shape throughout the extreme heat, or we can simply do it for you if you don’t feel like you have the time or energy to do it yourself.