Don’t let the heat kill your lawn, keep your lawn green and healthy!
Lawns that look patchy, dry, and yellow are an embarrassing eyesore.
You work hard to keep your lawn looking great throughout the year, yet it can often be a struggle to keep it green during summer when the sun beats down on it relentlessly.
No one likes mowing the lawn in summer. It’s hot, it’s humid, and you’re just not motivated to do it.
As a lawn owner, I know what it’s like to have a lawn that becomes dull in the summer. It’s not easy! You have to water, mow, and fertilize in the summer heat. It can be a real hassle.
But don’t worry – there is plenty you can do about it. Even if you’re a complete novice at keeping your lawn green, with a bit of perseverance, you’ll ensure that your grass stays healthy and strong throughout the summer months.
In this article, you will learn 8 Ways to Keep Your Lawn Green.
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8 Ways to Keep Your Lawn Green in summer
Summer is a great time to enjoy your lawn. It’s the perfect place for you and your family to play, whether it’s a soccer game or a picnic in the sun. The only problem is that summer can be hard on your lawn.
Your lawn needs water to stay green and lush during the hot months. But if you don’t use the right type of water, it can actually burn your grass.
I used to be a bit of a landscaper. Also, I used to have the pleasure of caring for the lawns of my neighbors, and they were always the greenest on the block. You can also utilize these little tricks every few weeks to make your lawn green and thick.
Water in the morning
It is best to water in the morning rather than at night because at night, there will be no sunlight for photosynthesis which is essential for the growth of grasses and other plants. In case you do not have sufficient water pressure in your home for an entire day’s worth of watering, then try watering twice a day – once in the morning and once in the evening.
Water deeply but infrequently
Watering deeply but infrequently allows water to soak into the soil instead of evaporating quickly off the surface. This means more water gets to the roots where it’s needed most, which promotes healthier growth in both summer months.
As the temperature drops outside and the air becomes less humid (as opposed to summertime when there is much more moisture), precipitation levels are higher (compared to spring/fall seasons).
Pro Tip: You can install a drip irrigation system under your plants where water is released slowly over time instead of being sprayed all at once. This will allow for more consistent growth throughout your lawn.
Mow high
Mowing your lawn too low can actually make it browner over time (see also: 5Tips to Mow Your Lawn Like a Professional) because it exposes the tips of grass to more sunlight. Instead, mow high, leaving about 3 inches of grass when you mow.
This will prevent the grass from being exposed to too much sunlight, keeping it cooler and healthier throughout the summer months.
If you are unsure of how high or low your lawn should be cut, use an adjustable height setting on your lawnmower and make a few passes until you reach the desired height for your lawn.
Use a Quality Seed or Sod
You can buy a bag of grass seed at your local home improvement store and just sprinkle it on top of the bare ground.
But if you want a thick, green lawn, you’ll need to plant sod, which is rolls of grass that have been cultivated to grow together in one piece.
Sod is expensive (usually $30 to $40 per square foot), but it’s easier to install than grass seed because it doesn’t require watering or weeding after planting.
Aerate and Overseed if Necessary
If your lawn has been feeling a little gray lately, or if you’ve noticed that there are patches of brown grass here and there, aerating and overseeding may be just what it needs.
This process will help break up compacted soil, allowing water and nutrients to reach deeper into the ground instead of just sitting on it like a blanket.
It will also allow new seeds to be planted into more fertile soil—which means that they’ll have a much better chance at survival than if they were planted in dry or compacted dirt!
And once those seeds have grown into healthy seedlings, it will help to make the lawn green and thick and prevent any patches from looking bare again before they have time to fill out their roots. Here are 5 benefits of overseeding a lawn.
Protect from pests with organic solutions
There are many ways to protect your garden from pests such as slugs and ants without resorting to chemicals or harmful pesticides, which may be detrimental to our pets or children if they ingest them accidentally.
For example, try sprinkling crushed eggshells around plants to deter slugs and snails; placing an upturned pot over bulbs will help prevent mice from digging up bulbs, and putting mint on the patch of ground where ants usually walk will stop them from entering your house through cracks in walls, etc.
Use Organic Fertilizers and Weed Killers
To me, the most effective method of how to make grass green fast is to use good lawn fertilizer.
If you are confused about the fertilizer quantity you should use, then head over to my article How Much Fertilizer Should I Use On My Lawn?
You can use your lawn clippings as mulch instead of throwing them out. They make great additions to flower beds and garden beds as they add nutrients and moisture to the soil.
You can even use them on your vegetable plants and shrubs. All you have to do is cut them up into small pieces before spreading them around your plants and shrubs.
In my case, I first apply a weed killer to kill any weeds that might be growing on my lawn. I then spread fertilizer over the entire area of my property and watered it using a sprinkler system. If you are still confused
After that, I leave it for about two weeks before mowing the grass again. The next time I mow the lawn again, I will only use the sprinkler system and I will not apply any fertilizer to the lawn because it is not necessary if you did it right the last time if you did it right!
Pro tip: If you fertilize during the fall or spring seasons, fertilize again in early summer so that the nutrients have time before fall rains come in again. Fertilizing can help promote more profound root growth in your grass, which will help prevent drought stress during hot, dry spells later in summer. A slow-release fertilizer is best since it is made of natural products which contain a high amount of nitrogen. These will last longer than synthetic fertilizers.
Keep Your Grasses Trimmed and Edging Neat
If you want to keep your grasses looking great, I recommend trimming them once a week. It only takes about 10 minutes, and you’ll be so happy with the results!
First Trim
Trim around any plants or trees in your yard, so they don’t get hit by the lawnmower. You can also trim around flower beds and bushes if they need it.
After you’ve trimmed everything up, take a moment to inspect your yard for stray branches or other debris that might have fallen while you were working. If there’s anything left over, pick it up and put it in the trash!
Then Edge
Next, take on edges. Even if this step seems tedious at first, I can assure you from my experience that it will be worth it once you see how good it looks!
Edging simply involves cutting along the edges of your lawn with a weed trimmer at a 45-degree angle from top to bottom. You want about 1 inch of grass left uncut for clean lines and optimal aesthetics (and less work for yourself).
Use Grass Clippings as Mulch
You can use your lawn clippings as mulch instead of throwing them out. They make great additions to flower beds and garden beds as they add nutrients and moisture to the soil.
You can even use them on your vegetable plants and shrubs. All you have to do is cut them up into small pieces before spreading them around your plants and shrubs.
Conclusion
The main thing you need to remember when it comes to watering your lawn is to water it enough that it stays moist without becoming soaked (you are not a painter trying to get the surface perfectly smooth). I believe that I have made it absolutely clear enough that watering is crucial, so make a schedule for watering your plants and stick to it. I’d also suggest controlling weeds as well. Many lawn service providers will do this for you. However, you should be able to handle the situation yourself. Here is the article detailing How To Plant A New Lawn Over An Old Lawn
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