Gardening With Gutner: Summer Lawn Care Tips
CAMBRIDGE (CBS)- I for one love my lawn and I work very hard at keeping it healthy and looking lush and green, even during the dog days of summer. All you need to do is give it a little attention once a week.
Here are some helpful tips to help you keep your yard looking its best even in the middle of the summer.
Mowing and Watering:
If you mow your own lawn be sure to keep the setting of the height of the wheels on the 2nd highest setting. The taller the grass is kept the better to keep it from burning.
Mowing less frequently will also encourage a thicker and fuller lawn, which can help prevent crab grass and other weeds from emerging.
Try watering less frequently and for a longer period of time. Doing this will encourage the roots to grow deeper, making them stronger during time of severe drought.
Fertilizing:
Just because it's summertime and you may be on vacation, it doesn't mean your lawn doesn't need any attention. I apply a summer application of fertilizer in mid-July to keep my lawn looking strong and healthy.
You can apply a synthetic fertilizer like Scott's Step 2, or if you would prefer organic fertilizer, Espoma makes a great one.
Both fertilizers have high levels of Nitrogen, which is great for promoting strong healthy lawn growth.
Seeding:
So what do you do if you have large areas of dead grass, brown patches, or even worse... a dog?
Even though I suggest waiting until the weather is cooler for large re-seeding, you can certainly seed some of the brown patches you may have.
There are several great pre-mixed patch seed products on the market and all are effective in helping you get the yard back in tip top shape. All you need to do is to dig up the dead areas and spread the seed mix and just water after. Easy peasy.
But what about Maggie? Maggie, our family's yellow lab! She loves to pee in the same spot in the lawn and yes, it's all brown.
Well, have no fear. You can buy Dog Patch mixes too. Simply apply as you would any repair kit and they will help turn Maggie's spot green again!
Well there you have it! Follow these tips and you too can have a healthy lush lawn.
The keys are mowing, watering and feeding. Get into a regular schedule of these and you should be good to go.
Feel free to email me with any questions or comments at Mark@PembertonFarms.com.
