Maintaining Your Lawn During the Summer

Although most of the Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic regions saw a pretty rainy spring, the summer season is finally here and has been providing us with (mostly) dry, hot days so far. This shift in weather not only means you can finally use the equipment you've barely used this season, but also that your lawn's turf grass will be going through some changes. Your once wet, waterlogged lawn could soon become dry and brown in a matter of weeks if not cared for properly. There are several factors impacting this change, but by following these few maintenance tips during the summer, you could continue having a beautiful manicured lawn all season!

Watering Your Lawn

• Like every living plant, turf grass needs water to thrive. During the weeks with high temperatures and no rain, you should regularly water your lawn at least 2-3 times per week to maintain it. Watering is best done for 20 to 30 minutes early in the morning before it gets too hot. Doing so will deeply condition your turf grass during a time where water is less likely to be evaporated, providing enough hydration for deep roots to grow and become more resistant to droughts. If your lawn doesn't receive hydration after an extended period, the turf may go into a dormancy stage. This stage is easily recognizable and has begun if your lawn is turning a brown or tan color. Turf does this to conserve energy when it hasn't been hydrated and is okay! Just make sure to properly water after noticing the color change. Once the grass is re-hydrated, it will return to its normal color.

Mow Higher 

• Cool season turf grasses are maintained the best when cut longer during the summer, close to 10 cm in height. To achieve a longer cut, you should adjust your mowers deck to its highest setting. This is because the plant is already under a lot of stress during hot weather and keeping it longer reduces that amount of stress. Longer blades during the summer provide more shade for the soil, reducing evaporation of the precious water it needs to grow. It also provides shade to the grass's roots, keeping them cooler. You may have to cut your lawn more frequently, but it will be worth it in the end when your lawn continually looks well-manicured.

Keep Your Blades Sharp

• You should already be regularly sharpening your mower's blades, but during the summer this task is extra important. Dull blades damage the leaves of your turf grass, leaving the ends dead and torn apart. With damaged ends, turf grass will then have to use more energy and nutrients to fix its blades, leaving little room to maintain itself when there is little rain and lots of sun. Don't have the equipment to sharpen your own blades? Schedule a time with our Service Department to have yours sharpened while you check out our showroom!

Don't Fertilize Your Lawn

• You may have read elsewhere that fertilizing your lawn's turf grass during the summer will provide essential nutrients for it to thrive and grow to its fullest potential. While fertilization is helpful to reach a lush, green turf, you should not be doing so during the summer months, especially if your lawn is composed of cool-season turf such as bluegrass, ryegrass, and fescue. Fertilizing while it's hot outside may burn your lawn's turf grass and do the opposite of what it's job really is. It's recommended to wait until cooler weather sets in during September to continue your fertilization.

Summer is a great time to visit our Hermitage and Butler stores to pick up the new lawn equipment you've been thinking about getting since Spring. Check out our used inventory or get into a brand new unit today! We have a great line up of zero-turns, compact utility tractors, walk-behinds, and other essential outdoor equipment from the industry's best brands Kubota, John Deere, Stihl, eXmark, Ferris, and more! Contact us today to get more done this summer!