The Phoenix area has seen record breaking heat this week and it appears there is very little relief in the immediate forecast. In heat like that, everything is affected. Pets, kids, the elderly all need to be protected and looked after. But what about your lawn. In hot, dry summer months, your lawn can really suffer and special steps should be taken to reduce lawn stress. And with 4th of July coming, cookouts require putting your best lawn forward. Here are some lawn care tips to take the heat off your yard and make your 4th of July party great.
- Don’t Cut Too Short: You may be tempted to cut your grass short in the heat of the summer to avoid having to cut often. But cutting too short hurts the blades’ ability to grow. When less plant is removed, the lawn stays cooler and holds up to stress. Make sure you know what height is recommended for the type of grass you have as different varieties require different maintenance. As a general rule, follow the one-third rule: don’t cut more than one-third of the height at a time.
- Sharpen Your Blades: Keeping your mower blades sharp reduces the time it takes for your grass to heal after being cut. Dull blades will tear the grass causing it to turn brown and making it more susceptible to disease.
- Don’t Overwater: Although this may seem counter intuitive in the hot, dry summer months, overwatering can actually harm your lawn. Roots can be deprived of oxygen making them more susceptible to disease. Water “deeply and frequently” as a good rule-of-thumb. Wet all the way to the root by watering deeply but allow it to dry before watering again. Lawns usually only need one-inch of water per week and that includes rainfall.
- Leave the Clippings: Using a mulching mower and allowing the grass clippings to remain on the lawn can be very helpful during the heat. Clippings slowly decompose and act as a “slow-release” fertilizer. Never use lawn fertilizers or aerate or dethatch your yard during the hot summer months. These practices will encourage growth causing the grass to use more energy resulting in stressing your lawn. Fall and spring are the best times for these types of temporary damaging procedures when it can recover quickly.
- Clean-up:Don’t forget the pet waste. Before mowing and before partying, make sure your yard is free of doggie land mines. Having a guest step in a pile will surely put a damper on your party. But who wants to do that nasty job in this heat. Why not call in the experts to do it for you. Arrowhead Pooper Scoopers Dog Waste Clean-up Service makes life easier for dog owners, with complete cleanup and removal of all dog poop from yards, kennels and dog runs, because you have better things to do with your time! Starting at just $10 a week! We serve most of the Phoenix west valley, including Glendale, Peoria, Sun City, Sun City West and Surprise, plus parts of west Phoenix. Call us at 602-391-0160 or visit our website or Facebook page for more information.
