The not-so-splendor in the grass: Caring for your lawn in the hot weather
The not-so-splendor in the grass: Caring for your lawn in the hot weather
Since most American lawns are made of cool-weather grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and rye, they tend to go dormant, or brown, in the heat. (An example of the opposite is prickly zoysia, which greens up in the summer and goes brown in the winter.) We at the Morano Group want you to know that having a brown lawn or spots in summer is natural, although understandably not aesthetic.
Once the temperatures cool, your grass should turn green again. But regardless of the color, there are some things you can do to keep your lawn healthy:
Know when and how to water – Water in the early morning for greater absorption, and water deeply but not daily. Though it may seem counterintuitive, gardening expert Mary Ellen Ellis writes https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/lawn-care/lgen/hot-weather-lawn-care.htm that lawns do better when a little dry. (There are, however, some schools of thought that vote for evening watering. The consensus is that you should not do it in the heat of the day.)
Similarly, know when and how to mow – Sharpen your blades, set them high and mow more infrequently. Well-cut, tall grasses (2 ½ to 3 ½ inches tall) tend to have deeper, more moisture-absorbing roots.
Keep off the grass – That means pests, pets, lawn furniture, games, tools – and you.
Approach fertilizer with caution – Fertilizing your lawn in summer may encourage new growth but it diverts energy from the grass that is trying to survive while the new growth is not likely to make it anyway. According to homegauge.com, https://www.homegauge.com/learning/protecting-your-lawn-in-the-summer/ “Applying lawn fertilizer during the hot summer requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. Choose the correct type of fertilizer formulated explicitly for summer use, with a balanced N-P-K ratio that suits your grass type.” Home Gauge also has tips on aerating and dethatching in summer as well as sustainability. Which brings us to….
Consider your future lawn – Now is as good a time as any to think about whether you want to go through this every summer. Perhaps you want to go with mulch, stones, drought-resistant plants, native species and other features that limit water usage and require less stress on the landscape and you. Chances are, however, that you can’t resist what the poet William Wordsworth called the “splendor in the grass.” If so, you may have to accept moments of stress as the price of an ideal and often elusive beauty.
In our August post, we’ll consider lawn restoration that will recreate that splendor before winter calls.
Questions? We at the Morano Group stand ready to assist your with your landscaping and hardscaping needs.