Summer Lawn Care
Summer is the time of year to really enjoy your lawn and the benefits of all your hard work in the previous winter and spring. The good news is that it will also require less maintenance during the warmer drier summer months, leaving you more time for barbecues and the family.
A lawn is actually quite resilient, but with summer use some areas may suffer. If possible, it helps to periodically move items which are kept on the lawn, such as trampolines or football goals to give these areas a chance to recover.
Mowing
As temperatures hot up during summer the growth of your lawn will slow down. This means you can mow less often, never taking more than one third of the length of the plant off in any one cut. As always a sharp mower is essential. If temperatures become very hot mowing can actually stress your lawn so it is best to leave your lawn to grow longer.
During dry conditions we also recommend increasing the cutting height slightly as leaving the grass a little longer will help trap moisture by reducing evaporation from the surface and encourage deeper roots to grow; all of which will improve drought tolerance. If the lawn is not growing at all due to drought conditions, then do not attempt to cut it.
If you’re going away on holiday, especially for more than a week, it’s a good idea to arrange for someone to mow your lawn. Regular mowing is important to maintain your lawn’s appearance and if it gets very long during your absence you will need to mow carefully to avoid significant deterioration in its condition.
Watering
Summer is the time when drought can occur and lawns may turn brown and straw coloured, but there’s no need to worry, this is natural. Established, well-maintained lawns will invariably recover once the rains return.
Good maintenance at other times of the year, including aeration and appropriate feeding will help your lawn’s rooting and its ability to withstand and recover from periods of drought. If possible, avoidance is better than cure and the only way to prevent drought is to water the lawn.
Dealing with common lawn pests
The most common lawn pests, Chafer Grubs and Leatherjackets, can cause significant damage to lawns. If you notice patches of poorly growing, yellowing grass check for signs of grubs feeding on the grass roots. These pests can be easily and safely controlled by an integrated approach to removing the conditions they favour plus the application of a suitable nematode based product. The best application times for preventative nematode application is Mid May for Chafer Grub and late September for Leather Jacket (Crane Fly)
In summary
Looking after and maintaining a beautiful lawn is a rewarding experience and pastime. The results speak for themselves and are there for all to see. A grass surface is also one of the safest surfaces for you and your family to enjoy.