Summer Lawn Care

Caring for lawns can be an arduous task even in very temperate climates that receive just the right amount of sunlight and water. In climates that are extremely cold or hot the task can be even greater and more demanding. Whether or not a lawn exists within a climate that's conducive to its growth and longevity, when summer rolls around a homeowner must care for their lawn differently than they do during other seasons of the year.

Summertime for lawn owners means heavy and consistent maintenance. Some homeowners will avoid this altogether by hiring a professional gardener and letting them worry about the hard work involved with caring for a lawn during that time of year. Homeowners who go it alone however will need to change their mindset a bit. Whereas a homeowner in the spring may focus on getting their lawn healthy and helping it recuperate after a long hard winter,  summer lawn care is a different beast altogether.

While in the springtime a homeowner can water their lawns practically anytime it suits them, the summertime will require homeowners to water their lawns in the wee hours of the morning. In the precious few fleeting hours before the sun rises, there is little heat and therefore little evaporation. This means that lawns can soak up all the water they need and even store a bit for the hot days that is to follow. Fertilizing lawns in the summer is also somewhat different than it is during other parts of the year. A homeowner will need to fertilize their lawn more than they do any other time of the year and will need to do so more frequently.

Depending on the type of lawn a homeowner has watering, feeding, and even fertilizing schedules will need to be reworked so as to promote growth and longevity in a lawn during the summer. This means homeowners with cool season grasses such as fescue, bluegrass, and wry will need to care for their lawns in either the early morning hours were shortly after the sun sets. These types of grasses grow and function best when temperatures are in the 60s. On the other hand however homeowners with warm season grasses like Zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede, and Bermuda function well in temperatures ranging from the 70s to low 80s. As a result these lawns can be cared for at different times during the summer months and are likely to remain healthier as a result of their more durable nature.

Also important for homeowners to remember is that once temperatures begin soaring into the mid 80's and above their lawns will begin to struggle a little bit and growth will slow to a crawl and may even stall together. Some lawns may even begin to show signs of wear and tear if they are not cared for properly and consistently during summer months. Homeowners who have lawns and function better in cooler temperatures may even wish to make their lawns off-limits to foot traffic and pets until the summer passes.

While caring for a lawn during the summer isn't by any means impossible it is a task that might make many homeowners feel overwhelmed and even defeated. Lawn owners who feel like this however should immediately call in a professional to care for their lawn. Most lawns are expensive to both put in ground and care for and it is a true shame and waste of money to let a lawn be destroyed or ravaged by the summer sun and the soaring temperatures it creates.

Home Improvement Guide specializes in general contractors in Orange County, Orange County ca contractors, and Orange County landscaping.