How Do I Keep My Lawn Green?
There is nothing more satisfying than a lush, beautiful green lawn. But summer heat, drought and heavy use can strain the turf causing it to fade in color.
Fortunately, there are many easy tips that can keep your lawn vibrant all summer. The first tip is watering properly. For best results, water in the early morning when temperatures are cooler.
Water
There’s nothing more satisfying than a green lawn, and keeping your grass in the best shape to keep it healthy requires attention to detail. Grass is naturally prone to some stressors that can leave it brown or nearly bare, but with the right approach and cultural practices you can easily get your lawn looking green and lush again.
One of the most common reasons people struggle with their lawn is because they’re watering it too little or at the wrong time. Watering too much can make the grass look wilted and unhealthy, and watering too little causes the roots to stay shallow and can lead to disease. To avoid this, take some time to observe your lawn throughout the day. Pay attention to how the weather and conditions affect it, especially in the morning when temperatures are cooler and winds are normally calmer.
It’s also important to test your soil to see what nutrients are in it. Having depleted soil can prevent grass from growing well, so adding nutrient-rich products like organic compost or humus can help to improve the health of your turf. Another way to improve your soil is by aerating the ground and adding a layer of mulch. This helps the roots to stay hydrated and reduces soil compaction.
When you do have to water, it’s best to do so deeply and infrequently. Aim for a deep soaking no more than once or twice per week. Doing so forces the roots to grow deep to access the water and can help you cut down on frequent irrigation. This method is also more environmentally friendly than a shallow, more frequent watering schedule.
If your grass is still looking dull, try adding an iron supplement to the soil. This will give the grass a deeper, more vibrant color without the use of harmful chemicals or dyes. It’s a great option for anyone who has a hard time getting their lawn to turn green in the summer.
Fertilize
The goal of most homeowners is to maintain a lush, green lawn without any dead patches or thin sections. There are many things that can throw a wrench into your lawn’s ecosystem, including disease, weeds, insects, and grubs. Keeping on top of weed infestations throughout the summer is crucial, but there are also steps you can take to prevent them in the first place. Weeds can rob your grass of vital nutrients and moisture, so preventing them requires a little work. Keep an eye out for weeds and treat them as soon as you see them with a selective herbicide.
Improper watering is one of the most common reasons why your lawn may not be as green as you would like, and you can avoid this by making sure that the top six to eight inches of soil are always moist. Aim for a total of about one inch of water each week, which can be from rain or irrigation.
Proper fertilization is another essential factor for a healthy, green lawn. You should apply slow-release fertilizers on a regular basis to ensure that your turf has a constant supply of nutrition. Choose a product that is designed for your specific type of soil and the climate in your area. Also, be careful about the amount of nitrogen you use. High amounts of nitrogen can burn your lawn, especially if the weather is hot and dry.
Lastly, you should look for a fertilizer with uniform particle sizes. Products that contain a lot of dust or broken granules are often not distributed evenly when applied with rotary spreaders, and will not provide the same results as those with uniform sized prills or granules.
You can supplement your standard NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) fertilizer with iron sulfate or chelated iron. These products aren’t as expensive as the standard NPK fertilizer, and can help push your lawn’s color to a deeper green. However, it is important to note that these products are not as effective at promoting overall plant health as the standard NPK fertilizer.
Aerate
If you want your lawn to be lush and green, it is important to aerate on a regular basis in addition to watering, fertilizing, and mowing on a schedule. Grass that is properly watered and fed will be able to stay healthy and green all summer long. The best time to water your lawn is in the morning before the sun starts to rise, as this will give your grass a chance to soak up the water before it evaporates and heats up during the day.
Having healthy and vibrant grass is the goal of every homeowner. However, hot temperatures and drought can strain the turf and cause some areas to turn brown or even bare. With proper lawn care practices, you can keep your grass looking its best all summer long.
One of the biggest causes for yellowing and fading grass is a lack of sunlight. Grass requires sunlight to produce its natural green pigment, which is what makes it look so vibrant. Keeping trees and other plants trimmed will help to ensure that the grass gets the sunlight it needs to remain healthy.
Another reason for grass to fade or become brown is that the soil is not providing the proper nutrients. A soil test will reveal any deficiencies in the soil, and specific products can be added to the soil to help with nutrient uptake.
It is also a good idea to aerate your lawn in the early spring or fall, as this will help your grass to recover from the stress of summer heat and prepare for the upcoming winter. Aeration also helps to reduce thatch and improves soil conditions.
If you are having trouble maintaining your green grass, it may be necessary to reseed the area with a new variety of grass that will thrive in hot temperatures. Older varieties of grass tend to fade and brown in the heat, while more modern cultivars can handle the high temperatures much better. Talk to Lawn Care Orem to find out more about the right grass varieties for your property and the best mowing and watering practices to keep them green all summer.
Mow
If you’ve been watering, fertilizing and aerating your lawn but are still struggling to achieve lush green grass, consider adding an iron supplement to your regime. Iron is a crucial ingredient in the production of chlorophyll, which is what makes plants and grass look green. It also helps grass to absorb and use more sun energy, so that it is strong and healthy. Iron supplements can be found in many traditional NPK fertilizers.
When mowing your lawn, try to only cut off the top third of the grass blade each time. Cutting too much or too often can damage the leaf tissue, which affects its ability to produce and store food. It also impacts the plant’s ability to withstand heat, disease and insects. The result is a weaker, browner grass that’s less able to bounce back when conditions turn hot and dry.
The best time to water your lawn is in the morning, as opposed to late afternoon or evening. This gives the roots a chance to soak in the water and reduces the risk of diseases that can thrive in damp soil, such as fungal infections. Watering too frequently can lead to the surface of the ground becoming saturated and prevents the root systems from getting the nutrients they need, which is why it’s best to test the moisture level of the soil with a screwdriver before watering again.
If your lawn is tired and browning after the winter and Mediterranean summer, you can rejuvenate it by reseeding bare areas or covering it with fresh, high quality grass seed. This is a simple but effective way to restore your yard to its former glory and is a trick that golf courses and grounds people use on a regular basis to create quality greens and pitches.
A lush, green lawn is the envy of every homeowner and achieving it is not difficult, but it does require commitment and dedication. Follow the tips above and you can have a lawn that’s the envy of your neighborhood in no time!
There is nothing more satisfying than a lush, beautiful green lawn. But summer heat, drought and heavy use can strain the turf causing it to fade in color. Fortunately, there are many easy tips that can keep your lawn vibrant all summer. The first tip is watering properly. For best results, water in the early…