The dog days of summer in Northeast Ohio bring heat and humidity that may have sent you carefully manicured lawn into dormancy, but don’t give up on your lawn care routine. Keeping up with basic care steps and a few extras once it cools down will be critical to keeping your lawn green through the fall and strong enough to get through the winter.
If your grass has become a bit brown and stopped growing during the hottest days of summer, pulling back on your routine makes sense. Mowing is unnecessary and fertilizing when temperatures are hot can damage your lawn. Step up your routine when the temperatures begin to cool in late summer and your lawn begins to show signs of growth and greening.
Proper mowing for a healthy lawn
Be sure to remove only a third of the grass length each week using a sharp mower blade. Mowing more often and removing less growth each time encourages a thick lawn that can hold moisture better and resist weeds. (A good rule is to try to keep your lawn between 2 and 3 inches of height.)
The summer dormant period is a great time to take your mower blade for sharpening to ensure you are getting a clean, even cut on each blade. You may also consider using a mulching blade, which chops the grass clippings and allows them to fall back into the lawn and break down, feeding the roots for the winter.
Proper fertilizing for a thick lawn
At T2 Design, we can advise you on the types of fertilizer that will feed your lawn throughout the growing season. As temps cool down, a late summer fertilizer with a high nitrogen content is your best bet to encourage growth and strength so your lawn is ready for winter.
If your fertilizer applications throughout the season don’t seem to be doing the trick, consider having your soil tested to identify deficiencies. T2 Design experts can help you choose an enhanced release fertilizer that replaces those missing nutrients.
Proper weed control
A thick, healthy lawn will resist weeds, but by late summer some will have inevitably broken through. An appropriate weed killer applied in late summer and early fall works best to get to the roots of weeds as they also are storing energy for winter, preventing them from coming back in the spring.
Be sure to spot treat weeds growing at the edges of your lawn and between driveway cracks and pavers to prevent them from spreading seeds across your turf.
Lawn care tips and extras
Don’t forget about the little extras you can do to keep your lawn looking its best.
· Water in the morning when it’s cool to get the best hydration throughout the day and to avoid fungus growth that can occur if you water at night. During the hottest days, watering deeply and less frequently is best.
· Aerating and dethatching, if needed, should be done at least a month before cold weather is due to set in. Both allow for more oxygen and moisture to reach the roots as they prepare for winter.
· Late summer to fall is a great time to overseed to fill thin spots in your lawn. Be sure to keep seeds moist as they germinate and seedlings will reach maturity in time for winter so they can get a head start in the spring.
The experts at T2 Design Lawn and Landscape are always available to help with the basics and the extras in lawn care. Contact our team for high quality lawn care services that will keep your lawn looking its best all year.