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How to Protect Your Turf From The Scorching Summer Sun

Keeping a lawn healthy under the scorching summer sun can become a challenge. Adjusting your lawn care isimportant when the temperatures and longer days of sunshine rise. There are; however methods anyone canfollow to keep the grass healthy and green until the temperatures cool down.

Keep Mower Blades Sharp

If the blades on a mower are not sharp it will fray the grass. When grass becomes frayed it is more likely to turnbrown. Keep the mower blades sharp to attain a nice clean cut.

Let the Grass Grow Longer

Roots from grass extend deeper into the ground if it not cut short. When the roots extend it will also help to keepweeds from growing and competing for water. Longer grass will also become denser and require less watering. Agrass length of about four inches is recommended for hot summer days.

Less Cutting

Mowing less frequently and doing it early in the dayis better for grass when it is hot. If morning time isnot an option, doing it in the early evening when itstarts to cool down would also be a good alternative.When cutting during a cooler time it will reducebrown spots and protect the fresh cut grass from thehot sun.

Replace The Bagger With A Mulcher

When mulched grass settles on a lawn it keeps themoisture trapped. This trapped moisture will providethe lawn with better hydration and keep it cooler.Mulched grass will actually benefit a lawn all year, but especially when it is hot.

Skip the Fertilizer

Most grasses do not need to be fertilized when it is hot. Fertilizer can “burn” the grass. Fertilizer kills the microbesthat grass needs. If the lawn is in trouble it would be best to have a soil test completed to make sure there are nodeficiencies. If fertilizing is the only solution then an organic product with a time release formula would be the bestoption. Read the label on the fertilizer chosen as some are only recommended during certain times of the year.

How To Water When It Is Hot

To keep a lawn healthy takes about an inch of waterper week. Choosing the time of day for watering isimportant. There are a lot of stories about notwatering when it is hot as it will “burn” the grass. It isnot the temperature that causes the damage duringthis time; it is the amount of water used. If notenough water is given it will evaporate quickly. Whenwatering during a hot time of day it is important togive adequate water to soak down to the roots of thegrass. Shallow watering causes the roots to comemuch closer to the surface where they are exposedto the heat. Watering in the cool morning hours is thebest option as there is little evaporation concerns during that time.

Keith Kitchen

Owner at Commonwealth Sports Turf ServicesGrowing up on a working farm that feeds your family gave Keith an appreciation for theimportance of planning for growth. It was corn and peanuts then, now it sports turf. Aftergraduating from Virginia Tech with a Bachelors of Science in Agricultural Economics andspending 5 years with Southern States, Keith partnered into a new business venture overseeing natural turfmaintenance for Luxury Lawns, a startup maintenance company. Continued growth over 20 years has placedLuxury Lawns, a company Keith now owns, in the top small businesses in the Midlothian area specializing inresidential turf management, landscape design and installation, and hardscape applications. After success in theresidential turf market, Keith launched Commonwealth Sports Turf and now manages the day to day operations ofthe business.