Summertime in Milwaukee means picnics with the family at the park, baseball games in the evenings and farmer’s markets or other outdoor fairs on Saturday mornings. There are hundreds of activities to take part in, and some can even be done in your own backyard. With so much time to spend outdoors in the evenings and weekends, with plenty of activities to partake in, you might want to spend some time ensuring your lawn is up for the task. Here are five summer lawn care tips to get your yard in top shape:
Water the lawn
To avoid the lawn going dormant, you’ll need to start irrigating your lawn regularly. When you’re watering grass, you’ll want the water to penetrate the soil about three inches deep. With this amount of water, you’ll only need to water two or three times a week. When setting the schedule, watering in the morning so that evaporation doesn’t occur. Be sure not to water too much so you don’t rot the root zone.
Slow-release fertilizer
If you applied a slow-release fertilizer in the spring, it’s time to do it again. If you didn’t do it yet this year, there’s still time to fertilize your lawn. Slow-release fertilizers are coated to release a little more of the nutrients each time the lawn is watered. Unlike other fertilizers, you won’t need to reapply as frequently. Choose a slow-release fertilizer that has the nutrients your grass needs the most.
Grub control
Grubs can be a big problem in places with wet, rainy springs. Once they grow, they’ll start chewing on the roots of the grass, effectively killing your lawn in brown patches. To combat this issue, head to your local garden center to get some grub control. You’ll want to do an application at the beginning of the summer to get ahead of the grubs’ growth cycles.
Watch for pests and diseases
The moisture and sunshine of the summer can lead to the perfect conditions for pests and diseases to thrive. This is the exact opposite of what you want to happen in your yard. So this time of year, keep an eye on the grass. Look out for any signs of pest or disease. If you notice something out of the ordinary, you’ll be able to catch it early and stop it with a pesticide that can treat the condition.
Follow one-third rule in mowing
When you mow your lawn on the weekends, be sure to follow the one-third rule. Only mow one-third of the height of the grass. So for a grass type that should be mowed to a height of two inches, mow when it hits three inches, and keep the mower height at two inches. That way you’re only removing one inch and keeping to the one-third rule. This reduces the damage and stress to the grass blade.
When you need some help completing these summer lawn care tasks, check out our Milwaukee services to see how we can be of assistance.
