Summer Landscaping Tips

Summer is only a few days away. School is nearly out for everyone, the pools are getting more traffic and the Shore is on everyone’s mind. While it’s the beginning of fun times for everyone, summer can be a harsh time of year for your lawn and landscape.

Spring is the time when your lawn starts to really thrive, but the summer heat takes a toll on your lawn if you don’t take care of it properly. So in preparation for the impending summer season, we’ve compiled a list of helpful landscaping tips to get you through the New Jersey summer.

Water your lawn

When the sun is beating down on your lawn all day, it will become dry and brown. That’s why it’s important to keep your lawn hydrated with consistent watering. This doesn’t mean you should go out and water your lawn for several hours three times a day, though. You need to water wisely.

The first thing to know is that you should water your lawn in the morning. The reason for this, as we explained in a previous post, is to allow the water to seep into the roots of the grass instead evaporating in the afternoon. Next, it’s key to keep the roots hydrated, but you don’t want to overwater and flood the grass, so it’s a very delicate balance.

Mow the lawn

Keeping the lawn mowed will help it stay healthy, but you have to be really careful when mowing the lawn. Although it may be tempting to mow the lawn as short as you can so you don’t have to mow it frequently, that can be really damaging, especially in the summer.

The taller blades of grass offer protection from the harsh sun and keep the roots from being exposed. Mowing too close to the ground also makes your lawn susceptible to disease.

Beware of weeds

Summer is prime weed season and the presence of weeds can take valuable nutrients away from your grass or plants. Whenever you water your landscape, always make sure to take a general census of your yard to see whether any unwanted weeds are growing. If they are, remove them promptly.

Fertilize

Finally, since your landscape takes quite a beating during summer from foot traffic, the heat and more, it’s important to fertilize your lawn. This provides your grass and plants with much-needed nutrients during a time when the elements are harshest. This will also ensure your grass stays healthy and green.