The summer heat in Virginia is brutal on grass, from mowing mistakes, watering wrong, or outright skipping maintenance because of the scorching summer sun. For summer lawn care in Roanoke, VA, City Wide Landscaping has plenty of lawn maintenance tips for the Virginia summer to prevent brown grass from the heat and maintain your lawn’s healthiest growth.
Summer Mowing Tips: How Short Is Too Short?
When you cut your grass too short, you’re giving your lawn the short end of the stick. Your lawn mowing schedule for summer should be weekly on a high setting. Longer grass allows for longer roots, which can reach deeply into the soil on the hottest, driest of days, resulting in happier, healthier grass. Mowing high can also help to keep out weeds that try to move in when your lawn is vulnerable.
Watering Tips: The Difference Between Dehydration and Drowning
Summer lawn care in Roanoke, VA, can be tricky. Watering may seem like the most obvious part of summer lawn care, but the way you’re watering may not be as good for your lawn as you think. You should actually water infrequently (about once a week) and deeply (about an inch down) early in the morning, before the sun can evaporate critical moisture.
Feeding Your Lawn: Making Sure Your Lawn Is Fat and Happy
A well-fed lawn grows in thick, crowding out weeds and keeping the soil cool. Within 6-8 weeks, the microbes in the soil have already processed most of the nutrients you fed them, so you need to replenish them. If your grass is actively growing, fertilize at a low dose; if it’s brown from heat, wait until the weather cools before fertilizing again.
Surviving the Scorching Heat While Maintaining Your Lawn
There are many tips to survive the summer heat. The top tips you should follow so you can keep up with your lawn maintenance are:
- Wear loose, lightweight clothing in light colors
- Wear a hat to protect your face
- Stay hydrated
- Wear sunscreen to protect your skin
The Never-Ending Battle: Keeping Pests At Bay
Insects are the most common cause of bald patches in your lawn during the summer. If you notice birds pecking at your lawn or see that the soil is raised or looks plowed, these are signs that your lawn is pest-infested.
One of the simplest ways to eliminate pests is to buy nematodes, which live in the soil. You can also use appropriate insecticides to curb pest activity.
Dealing With Weeds: Taking Care of Problem Plants
When it comes to summer lawn care in the heat of Roanoke, VA, controlling weeds as soon as they appear is more effective than spraying weed killer. You can remove weeds as soon as they germinate by pulling them by hand or using a weeding fork, since this requires less effort than removing full-grown plants. Using herbicides should always be the last resort, as excess application can do more harm than good.
Dawn of the Living Lawn: Reviving A Dead Lawn
Under the summer sun, your lawn is susceptible to discoloration, drying out, and developing bald patches. You can fix this by replacing or overseeding turf in those areas. Cut a section from an area that won’t be missed or purchase turf. With a shovel, remove the dead section and rake the area underneath. Then place the measured and cut turf to precisely fit the removed section and press it down. Once it is secure, water it.
Like any other plant in your garden, your lawn behaves differently in every season. City Wide Landscaping understands your lawn and can help keep it flourishing year-round. Call now to contact a Roanoke expert who understands your lawn.