How to ensure that your lawn survives the Dallas summer heat

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Dallas gets really hot during the summer.  We know it so well.  And while those seasoned Dallas residents may have grown accustomed to the heat and lack of rain, your lawn has not.  Follow these summer lawn care tips to ensure that your lawn stays healthy even in most brutal Texas sun.

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1)  Water deeply, but infrequently.  Always in the morning.

Watering your lawn is very important, and even with Dallas’ watering restrictions, it’s possible to give your lawn ample water for survival.

What exactly does watering deeply mean?  Well, you need to water enough that the water penetrates deeply into the soil.  If your lawn hasn’t been aerated in awhile, this might be a problem.  Be sure to water early in the morning to avoid evaporation.  Also, be sure not to over-water, as that will result in fungi growing in shady areas, and your roots could potentially drown.

2)  Mow at the highest height possible, but don’t avoid the 1/3 rule.

Each grass type has a different range of heights the blades can be mowed at.  During periods of drought, be sure to mow on the higher end of that spectrum.  Most of the common Dallas grass types should be mowed to around 4 inches, about 1/2 inch higher than normal.

Additionally, be sure to mow frequently enough that you are never cutting off more than 1/3 of the grass blade length.  In fact, it’s much better to only cut off 1/4 of an inch at a time.  Chances are that biweekly lawn mowing should do the trick.

 

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3)  Be sure to keep those mower blades sharp.

Sharp mower blades are always important, but during the summer heat, they are more important than ever.  The grass is already stressed; cutting it with a dull lawn mower blade will stress it even more

4)  Leave all chemical applications to the professionals

Most grass types to not require fertilization during the summertime.  If for some reason you are inclined to treat your lawn with fertilizer or chemicals, be sure to call a professional, licensed service provider.  Risk of Nitrogen burn is super high in the summer, so it’s best to leave any lawn treatments to a professional.

Hopefully these tips helped, and for those of you who don’t feel like doing your own lawn, check out our Dallas lawn service page to learn more about the services we offer.

 

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Scott Johnson

Scott is a research analyst and writer for the LawnStarter blog. He's a lawn care expert, avid gardener, and dog lover.