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Summer can be very harsh to your lawn (and any plant in your property). The extreme heat can cause your grass and plants to wilt and die from losing moisture rapidly. Likewise, if you live in Utah and other areas where water seems like a rare commodity, then you’re no stranger to seeing brown patches of grass on lawns, even if it’s outside the summer season.
These brown patches that develop in areas with high temperatures can be an eyesore to you and your neighbors, and could even ruin your chances of selling your house at a reasonable rate (if you’re planning on doing so). As such, we’ll be taking a look at different ways for you to keep your grass green and pristine even under the blistering summer heat:
Aeration AKA Punch Some Holes Into Your Lawn
Your soil needs to ‘breathe’ to properly absorb, retain, and permeate water and fertilizer into the root zone. However, due to constant foot traffic or winters, your lawn’s soil becomes ‘compact’ and makes it difficult to do so, which, in turn, leads to your lawn grass and plants not getting enough water and nutrients, resulting in the wilting and brown grass. As such, you’ll want to aerate your lawn using a pitchfork or a specialized aeration machine to punch holes into your soil and allow it to breathe. A sure sign that your lawn needs aerating is if water puddles or runs off instead of getting absorbed into the soil.
Remove Weeds and Debris
Weeds can steal the much-needed water and nutrients from your lawn grass and plants. If it’s not that rampant, you can manually remove weeds. But if your lawn is already weed-infested, you can use organic weed killers or hire professional lawn care service to kill weeds. Debris (such as fallen leaves and twigs) can also prevent healthy grass from growing properly, so you might also want to use a rake or leaf blower to clean up your lawn before the summer heat arrives.
Adjust Your Sprinklers
You may have noticed lawns that have healthy green patches surrounded by brown grass. This is oftentimes due to wrong sprinkler adjustments and positioning. You should ensure that your sprinklers can reach all areas so that every inch of your lawn receives water. It’s also recommended to adjust the frequency of your sprinklers as your lawn will be needing a lot more water much more frequently during the summer.
Choose Your Sod Carefully
A quick, easy, and low-maintenance way for you to have a green and healthy-looking lawn this summer is by choosing a sod that’s designed to thrive in areas with minimal water. Having a water-wise sod for your Utah home’s lawn means that you only need to water 1-2 times each week, even during the summer.
Apply Fertilizer BEFORE Summer
You should apply fertilizer during spring and fall, but never during the summer when your grass is already experiencing heat stress or during a drought — your lawn would be susceptible to fertilizer burn if you do so, which can result in browning and root damage. Many suggest that you should avoid fertilizing 30 days before summer arrives.
The Takeaway
It can be quite difficult to maintain your lawn’s health and color during the summer, but with these simple tips, it can be a bit more manageable. Whichever strategy or tip you’ll be utilizing, the bottom line is always to keep the grass and plants well-hydrated this summer.
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