Can Your Lawn Take The Heat?

These are the times that try our souls-especially if we're trying to care for cool weather turf grasses. The livin' is anything but easy at this time of year, as Kentucky bluegrass and fescue grasses begin to feel the heat. There are a few things you can do, though, to lessen the stress and keep your lawn healthy this time of year.

Mowing.

Don't crop your lawn too closely during the dog days of summer. Raise the deck of your mower a notch from the level you were using in the spring and early summer. Three inches is a good height for mid-summer cuttings. And don't let the grass get too tall between cuttings. Removing more than 1/3 of the blade causes more stress to the plants. When the cooler, wetter fall weather returns, you can lower the deck again to 2 to 2-1/2 inches.

Watering.

Don't wait until your grass is already browning to start watering. Make sure your lawn gets an adequate supply of water every week. Weekly deep soakings promote better root growth and less weed development than quick, shallow waterings. Watering early in the morning will allow the grass blades to dry out, helping prevent fungal diseases and will reduce water loss from evaporation.

Fertilizing & Insect Control.

When summer is in full swing, insects are at their peak and your lawn is most vulnerable. Stop lawn-destroying insects and give your lawn a boost with an insect control with fertilizer product. Insects such as grubs, chinch bugs, and sod webworms attack your lawn during the summer months and can cause extensive damage. Brown patches, turf that can be lifted like a carpet, low-flying moths, and chewed grass blades are all evidence of insect problems. Pests such as fleas, ticks, and ants are also controlled.

Things Not To Do Now.

With so many fun things to do in the summer, its nice to hear of some chores you should put off. For the lawn these include weed control, aeration, and renovation with new seed. As cool weather grasses go dormant in the heat, the broadleaf weeds become more obvious. Pull them out manually if you want, but control the urge to use broadleaf weedkillers in mid-summer. Even those that are "safe" for grasses can add stress to the already stressed-out mid-summer conditions. Wait until early fall when the cool weather grasses perk back up and are better able to shrug off the weedkiller's toxic effects.

Reseeding and aerating are other projects that will be more effective if postponed until the cooler days of early autumn. So, relax. There's just not much your lawn needs right now. However, about your garden...