No matter what region of the country in which a home owner may live, the requirements of the lawn are the same. With summer temperatures just around the corner it is important to make sure the lawn is healthy enough to withstand longer stretches of heat and diminished watering. Although proper lawn mowing seems like a no-brainer, a surprisingly large number of home owners do not mow their lawn properly.
Hopefully, by the end of March, the spring round of fertilizing has already been applied to the lawn and flower beds. If fertilizer has not yet been administered in the northern states of the U.S., such as Minnesota, these home owners may still be able to sneak in the spring application. It is important to ensure the root system is sufficiently healthy enough to withstand the hotter summers that the U.S. has experienced in the past several years and will continue to sustain.
The heat is not necessarily the only factor affecting the durability of the lawn. It does, however, pose a significant challenge due to watering restrictions tightening throughout every locale. Along with fertilizing, proper watering times and duration are very important. Generally the best time to water a lawn is during the early morning hours. Mornings are usually when there are fewer winds to carry the water spray away from the grass.
There are two different times when it is normally not a good time to irrigate a lawn. Watering later in the afternoon time periods will usually violate some local ordinance or water restriction, not to mention wasting the water which is intended for the lawn. The water is wasted due to increased evaporation in the afternoon heat and sun and not having sufficient time to soak down into the root system. The other time it is almost always counter productive to water a lawn is in the evening or nighttime hours. The reason for this is because, while the heat of the day has passed, the cooler evening and overnight temperatures can contribute to fungus growth when extra moist conditions are present.
It is also very important, when watering the lawn, to water deeply for a sufficient length of time. Longer watering time periods allow the water to penetrate more deeply down into the soil and reach the roots. Conversely, shorter durations of watering will cause the lawn to form a shallower root system which will contribute to a greater susceptibility to disease and pests.
The other major concern for enabling the grass to withstand the hot summer months is to ensure that the height adjustment of the lawnmower is set to the proper level. Each region and climate of the country has its own particular types of grasses which require a minimum height to flourish. It can be tempting to the home owner to lower the height of the cutting deck in hopes of having to experience the summer heat less frequently. Never cut off more than one third of the total length of grass at any one time. Doing so will protect the lower depths from the heat.
Following the contours of the yard in order to avoid scalping the lawn, will help to achieve a proper and consistent look. Making sure the blade is sharp and the cutting deck free from debris, along with proper watering and fertilizing, will almost certainly guarantee a beautiful and healthy lawn of which the neighbors will be envious.
For additional information on lawn maintenance and proper irrigation methods visit www.advancedirrigationmn.com.
Article independently authored by Daniel P. Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Advanced Irrigation of Minnesota.
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