Summer Maintenance Tips Part Four: Outside Your Home

During the spring, your grass thrives in the increased sunshine and warmer temperatures. However, in the summer, grass slows in growth and starts to battle harsher conditions. In order for your grass to continue to thrive, you can make the following changes to its care:

Watering

Even lush, green grass can become dry and dull in the heat of summer. Typically, lawns require one inch of water per week to thrive. However, this amount can fluctuate depending on several factors, such as climatic conditions, soil type, and grass type.

The amount of water you give your lawn also depends on the weather forecast—will it rain, and if so, how much?

Providing your lawn with the right amount of water is important to its health, so research carefully before starting a watering plan. Generally, you should water your lawn in the morning before the sun is too high in the sky.

Also, providing your lawn with its allotment of water over a couple of days—rather than several times during the week—promotes deep root growth and helps your lawn survive drought conditions.

If you still have questions about whether your lawn is receiving the right amount of water, you can perform a simple test: Walk across your grass, and then observe how long it takes for the blades to return to their standing position.

If your grass bounces back with ease, then it is properly hydrated. However, if it takes a while for your grass to return to normal, then you should increase the amount of water you give your lawn. Before watering, check if your area has any water restrictions in effect.

Mowing

According to experts, another way to help your grass stay hydrated during the summer is to let it grow taller. Instead of cutting your grass every three or four days as you did in the spring, cut your grass every seven to ten days. When cutting the grass, be sure to cut only one-third of the height.

Performing summer maintenance on your home can help you identify and prevent future problems. It will also allow you to prepare your home for the upcoming fall and winter months, so that you can stay warm and cozy after the temperature drops.