Solve Fall Season’s Issues Now in Late Summer
Late summer means hot weather and longer periods of sunshine, which can cause stress and damage to your grass. Keep an eye on your lawn to make sure that any dry spots start getting enough water. If you’re not sure how to best care for your lawn in the heat, it might be a good idea to consult a professional. Otherwise, the following are some tips to help you prepare your yard for the next season.
Beware of Summer Pests
June beetles, Japanese beetles, and European chafers all lay eggs in the grass during the early and middle of summer. These eggs begin to hatch mid to late summer, and the timing can vary depending on what region you live in. Where you live in will dictate what time is the best time to lay down grub control.
Treat Brown Spots
Brown patches are caused by fungus that thrives in the hot, humid weather of late summer. While most brown patches will correct themselves as the weather cools, there are things you can do to reduce or eliminate them. Avoid watering your lawn more than every three to four days, and seed your lawn with resistant grasses that are not as susceptible to fungus.
Remedy Thinning Grass
To improve the health of your lawn, you need to rake or dethatch dead grass. When you remove accumulated dead grass, you allow air and sunlight to get reach the healthy grass. Doing this will help promote growth and hopefully reduce thinning. Consult a professional if you are not sure how much to remove. The thatch protects grass during the winter, so you do not want to eliminate too much of it.
Choose the Right Fertilizer
Your yard needs a different fertilizer in the late summer than it needs during the other seasons. Your location will partially dictate what type of fertilizer you need, and whether you need the fertilizer to treat a specific issue or to build turf. If you are not sure what your lawn needs, it is best to consult a professional. You could be wasting time and money treating your lawn with the wrong fertilizer. For more information, check out our page on the Five Types of Fertilizer.
Mowing
Mowing your lawn can have an impact on its health, and using a mower with a dull blade can leave the grass shredded and frayed. Grass that is cut too short will allow too much sunlight to reach the roots and the grass will burn. You are going to want to leave your grass a little longer during the hottest part of the summer, as this will help it survive the heat.
Weeds
When you have weeds in your yard in the late summer, it is a good idea to pull them by hand. Pulling weeds up from the root completely removes the plant. This is more effective than just mowing over the weeds, and is more environmentally friendly than spraying chemical weed killers. If you walk through your yard a few times per week and pull any weeds you find, your yard will look much better than if you do not.
Evergreen Turf is your source for the highest quality sod in Arizona. Our friendly, knowledgeable people are committed to answering all of your questions to ensure a stress-free experience with your new Arizona sod lawn. Whether you wish to sod a small play area for the family or an entire golf course, Evergreen Turf can help you make it happen.
Our team serves customers throughout Arizona, including Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe and Tucson. Browse our website for information and tips on how to create and maintain a beautiful lawn, or give us a call and talk to one of our sod specialists at 602-626-9959 if you don’t find what you are looking for. Better yet, stop by and meet the team at our convenient Chandler location.