Common Lawn and Turf Mistakes In Summers

The summer season is fast approaching and despite the scare of the coronavirus, we hope by June things get back to normal. For most people, summer is the season for them to practice good lawn care and host picnics with their family. Unfortunately, some people end up messing their turf instead of making it better. Here are some of the mistakes that they make.

1. Not Sharpening their Blades

Your lawn mower will always cut grass as long as the blades are turning. That’s why some people rarely sharpen the blades. Some people will do it once a year and that’s it. Cutting grass with dull blades causes rough edges that expose your lawn to diseases. To prevent your grass from turning brown, sharpen your blades regularly. Doing it once per week should suffice.

2. Mowing the Lawn at the Wrong Time

During the summer, temperatures can get quite high. To avoid the heat, some people will mow the lawn early in the morning. The problem with mowing very early in the morning is that the grass is slippery because of dew. That causes a slip and fall hazard. Also, since the grass is wet, the mower will be clogged with lots of sticky clippings. You’ll also cut the grass unevenly because the wheels of the mower sink into the wet ground.

Mowing the lawn in the evening is also bad. When you cut the turf with a mower, you place undue stress on the grass. When part of a plant gets cut, it needs time to heal. Sunlight helps the plant recover quickly. When you mow in the evening, you deny the grass a chance to recover. In the evening, when there’s no sunlight, the grass is more prone to diseases. You should mow the lawn in the afternoon before 3 PM. In the morning, you should cut the grass after it has received some sunlight and dried – preferably from 9.30 AM.

3. Poor Application of Fertilizer

Another common lawn management mistake in the summer is the application of fertilizer at the wrong time. Generally, it’s not advisable to put fertilizer on your lawn during the summer season. That’s because most turfs have cool-season grass, which is supposed to receive fertilizer when it’s growing in spring and fall. Examples of cool-season grass are ryegrass, fine fescue, and Kentucky bluegrass. There is an exception to the rule. If your turf has warm-season grass like Bermuda grass and Bahia grass, you can put fertilizer during the summer.

4. Mowing Regularly

Avoid mowing the turf every day during summer. When temperatures rise, cool-season grass grows at a slower rate. For that reason, you shouldn’t mow it very often. Furthermore, when cutting cool-season grass, set the cutting height much higher – between 3 and 4 inches. Cutting any lower could lead to infections and discoloration. If you have warm-season grass, you can set the blade height a bit lower – between 2 and 3 inches. You can also cut warm-season grass more frequently because they grow faster in summer. The best frequency is once per week for cool grass and twice per week for warm grass.  

5. Bad Watering Practices

During summer, your turf loses water much more quickly because of high temperatures. Therefore, you need to water the grass. The mistake that people do is clogging the grass with water. Too much water can stop the grass from growing. Although experts recommend that the grass be soaked with at least one inch of water every week, the process is not so simple. The type of soil will determine the water retention rate. If you have sandy soil, the water should be one inch high. If you have clay soil, the water should be 3 inches at most while the recommended water height for loam soil is 2 inches.

If you want your lawn to remain healthy and keep looking green this summer, avoid the mistakes mentioned above. You might need an expert to choose the right fertilizer for your turf. Stay safe and enjoy your summer.