Is everyone ready for another super dry, hot summer?!?!?!
Honestly, this is about as bad as it gets weather-wise for maintaining a lush, green lawn in the desert. Cool season grasses begin to stress above 85 degrees; above 90 for a few days and lawns really start to struggle.
Fret not, this is all part of the deal. Here are some Dos and Don’ts for taking care of your lawns this summer.
DO –
Mow even higher. The highest setting on your mower. Just do it. Sure, it may look a little long, but your grass will thank you. A couple of mows at the highest setting and your lawn will even out. Long blades keep the soil shaded better. 4″!!! (ALSO MAKE SURE THOSE BLADES ARE SHARP and mow in the evenings)
DO –
Water regularly. 3x a week at the standard duration we mentioned should do the trick. If you have some dry spots, consider spot watering those, if the whole lawn is drying out, consider moving up to 4x per week. Just be sure to back off as soon as things improve. If you cut irrigation out, your lawn will go into dormancy not to wake up again until the heat subsides. If things get really bad consider running your irrigation for a quick 5 minute spritz in the afternoon just to cool things down on the soil surface, your lawn will thank you.
DO –
Add micro-nutrients. Iron and potassium especially. Your lawn will love a shot of MicroGreen (N-EXT) or Ironite right now.
DO –
ADD MOAR HUMATE/HUMIC!! That’s right, the magic stuff continues to do magic in the heat. Throw some down in your especially struggling areas for better moisture retention. If you really want to play scientist, consider spraying Hydretain down as well, just know that this HAS to be watered in immediately. Hydretain is a fantastic product that will allow your grass to use ALL of the moisture available.
DO –
Have patience. Summers are tough on lawns; you’re not going to bring a lawn back from the depths when temps are 90+. If your lawns look decent, pat yourself on the back and know that when temps cool your lawn is going to look fantastic. THEN we can get those roots to dive even deeper so if this occurs again, your lawn will do even better!
DON’T –
Mow often. If you are mowing high, chances are you can get away with mowing once every 7-10 days. This will keep the grass from getting too stressed from you mowing in the heat.
DON’T –
Water longer. Watering longer won’t do anything for you right now. Your roots are where they are, for now. Watering deeper during this time of year will just be wasting water. Instead, spot water or add a day as mentioned at the same duration. If you have some particular dry areas, it may be time to do the tuna can test and see if you have sprinkler coverage issues that can be repaired in the fall.
DON’T –
Fertilize more. Nitrogen is the last thing your grass needs right now. It’s about survival, not about pushing a ton of top growth. Too much nitrogen right now could kill the grass roots leaving you with a huge issue in the fall.
DON’T –
Attempt lawn repairs. Don’t mechanically aerate, don’t power rake, don’t spray weeds, etc. That time will come in the early fall. Now is not the time to try to seed or bring back areas either. You will just be using far too much water to do any sort of lawn renovations right now in 90+. That’s NOT what this program is about. We repair it in the fall!
DON’T –
Give up. Trust me, I get it. We all want perfect lawns even in the worst conditions. It takes time. Every lawn is a little different, and some will improve quicker than others, but in the long run, this program will get you through these wet-dry season combos in the near future better than ever!
