Lush Green Lawn

There are several maintenance practices that will help to sustain a lush, green grass through hot and dry summers.

• Aeration is the process of mechanically poking thousands of holes in the soil. These holes provide a direct passage way for water, oxygen, and nutrients to the roots of your turf. Aeration reduces compaction, and runoff while improving root growth. The best time to aerate is in the summer months.

• Effective Water Application. It is best to water your grass during the early morning hours before daybreak (12am – 5am). Weather conditions are more stable and less wind is prevalent during early morning hours. It is not advised to water late in the day (6pm-11pm) because water has the opportunity to remain stagnant and create an ideal environment for fungus. Turf fungus spreads rapidly during warm humid evenings.

• Mulching mowers allow us to recycle nutrients and conserve water. These mowers finely shred grass clippings and return them to the turf area. The rate of decomposition increases during hot summer months and rapidly returns nutrients to the soil (25% of fertilizer needs). In addition, the layer of mulch within your turf shades the soil and slows down water evaporation.

• Sharpen Mower Blade. A dull cutting edge will cause tearing and leave brown tips on each blade of grass. Damaged turf is more susceptible to disease and also needs more attention to ensure survival. In addition, a sharp blade allows a mower to perform efficiently during the summer when grass is cut at a longer length. Longer turf length helps to shade the ground/root area and prevents water from evaporating rapidly.