Lawn maintenance is one of the most common services St. Louis landscaping contractors provide. To enjoy an emerald green lawn all summer long, you can hire one of many lawn care companies, who can help you with everything from scheduled maintenance to the installation of home irrigation systems. Alternatively, DIY-types can keep their lawns green by practicing the following techniques.
Tips to keep your grass green this summer:
- Mow high
- Deep, regular watering
- Water early in the day
- Mower maintenance
- Repair spots caused by pet waste
- Apply fertilizer
Mow high
Put your lawnmower on a high setting, to leave the grass around 3 inches high. Taller blades provide more shade for your lawn’s root system, which keeps it cooler during hot summer days. Additionally, taller blades of grass result in deeper, stronger roots.
Deep, regular watering
If you want a green lawn all summer long, you must water consistently….Rather than shallow watering every day, water your lawn deeply once or twice a week. One to one-and-a-half inches of water will keep your lawn green. Most home irrigation systems can be pre-programmed to take care of the watering for you.
Water early in the day
Five o’clock in the morning is the perfect time for watering your lawn. Program your irrigation systems to water early in the morning, so your lawn will have enough time to dry out during the day, thereby preventing fungal diseases.
Mower maintenance
A poorly maintained mower will only harm your turf. Good mower maintenance includes sharpening the blades and changing the oil, filter, and spark plugs. Dull mower blades will tear not cut your lawn, leaving brown tips on the grass blades. These are services landscaping contractors may be able to provide.
Repair spots caused by pet waste
When Fido does his business on your lawn, he is effectively over-fertilizing that spot.
Apply fertilizer
The general rule of thumb that landscaping contractors recommend is to fertilize your lawn every six weeks. However, you may find that this causes your lawn to grow too quickly when using traditional fertilizers. A lower nitrogen content fertilizer between 10 and 14 will keep your lawn green while eliminating the fast growth. Using a mulching mower also helps to naturally fertilize the lawn by recycling the nutrients in the grass clippings back into the soil. Be sure you apply the fertilizer evenly and judiciously. Too much fertilizer can turn the turf brown.
Reviving a brown lawn is one of the most commonly requested services landscaping contractors receive. Unfortunately, if your lawn is already looking like coconut matting, there’s not much you can do to bring the greenback before fall. As West Linn lawn care experts can tell you, once a lawn has gone brown, overwatering will only stress out the turf. To prevent this frustrating situation, follow the lawn maintenance tips listed above.
For more information on keeping your St. Louis landscaping green this summer, contact LanDesign LLC.
