Why is my lawn so stressed out?

The simple answer is SUMMER!!  Summer takes a toll on our lawns and we at Lawn Cure would like to assist you in preserving your lawn as we move through the hot summer season.  July and August will be the toughest months your lawn will face all year. There are 3 main issues your turf will go thru and most likely the reason why its under so much stress.

• Lack of water
• Heat stress in the soil/roots
• Mowing too short

Watering:

Hydration is essential to your lawn’s health. Generally, running your sprinkler (or irrigation system) for 30 minutes 3 or 4 times per week in the early morning hours should suffice to keep your lawn in good health and color. Try to avoid night watering, if possible, as this can lead to disease issues in the lawn. It’s recommended that 1-2 inches of water be applied to the lawn weekly.

Heat Stress:

Heat stress occurs mainly through the hot summer months in which the soil heats up to undesirable temperatures and damages the roots and grass blades. The root system slowly pulls nutrients from the grass blades to stay alive causing the blades to dull and brown out. Keeping your lawn thick, mowed at a high setting, and watering consistently will help eliminate heat stress.

Mowing:

Do not mow your lawn unless it has grown to have a 4” or higher blade. When you do mow, set the mower on one of the highest settings, one that leaves at least a 3” blade behind. Leaving the grass blades taller provides numerous benefits towards keeping the soil healthy and productive. Cutting the turf too short will add stress to the lawn and cause color issues.

With a little patience and TLC, our lawns will survive another summer and before we know it, our cool fall temperatures will be here and our lawns will be thriving again!  Stay cool until then!