Summer Lawn Care for Texas Heat - JCs Landscaping

Now that summer is in full swing in Texas, our six general guidelines will help keep your lawn and landscape in the best health and condition to help your yard survive the heat! Our summer lawn care techniques apply a systematic approach to develop a resilient lawn that thrives in spite of the sun, weeds, pests and heavy foot traffic.

Battling The Heat

1. Dethatch and/or Aerate: Doing this to your lawn promotes the healthy formation of the root system. Aeration allows the grass to breathe, and water/nutrients to reach the root system. We suggest aerating your lawn every 1 to 3 years, although high-traffic areas may require more regular attention.

2. Proper Mowing: Weekly lawn mowing, includes edging & trimming and is sometimes best entrusted to a professional landscaping company. Mowing is important for the overall health of your lawn because regular mowing helps strengthen roots, making the lawn hardy.

• Maintain your lawnmower. Dull lawnmower blades tear grass instead of actual cutting.
• Turf grass height is based on the type of grass, with 2 to 3 inches as the ideal height. No more than 1/3rd of the grass height should be cut at one time because cutting it shorter exposes your grass to excessive water loss, disease and increased thatch.
• Longer grass shades the soil better, keeping it moist and promotes blade and root health.

3. Thatch: This is the decaying plant material that accumulates on the ground. A thatch layer more than a half-inch can block sunlight and prevent water from reaching deep roots. Rake your lawn to remove excess thatch. Dethatching should be done in conjunction with aeration. Mowing allows you to more easily remove thatch, aerate, as well as to expose more soil for overseeding and fertilizing.

Hydration

4. Fertilizer: It gets your grass the proper nutrients that it needs. A slow release fertilizer is recommended to provide a steady supply of nutrients. Fertilizer contains nutrients and should not be applied in excess 1 lb of Nitrogen per 1000 square feet of turf area. Some fertilizers help prevent weeds and insects. In the summer, applications should be a month apart, and watering should not occur any sooner than 24 hours after application.

5. Water: Take care of your lawn with the roots in mind. Most grasses need 1 inch of irrigation per week and a single, deep watering is best. Frequent, brief irrigation encourage unfavorably shallow root penetration. Water your lawn during the early morning or at night.

6. Overseeding: To increase the turf density of an existing lawn, overseed to allow seeds to germinate more effectively. The rate in which to apply seed is dependent upon the type of grass in your lawn and using a broadcast seed spreader is best. After seeding, the use of an organic matter such as compost or Peat Moss will help the ground retain water while germination begins. Watering should be at a rate of 1 inch per day for 3-4 weeks. Reseed bare patches prior to your grass-type’s peak growing season. Till the soil and spread the seed evenly. Fertilize with the overseeding, and water the area normally. Add nitrogen-rich fertilizer after the seeds have germinated.

Find out how JC’s Landscaping can help with your lawn maintenance needs.

JC’s Landscaping LLC meets yard care needs in North Texas and the DFW Metroplex. We can restore and maintain your lawn and landscaping for optimum growth. For annual yard care plans and discounted online-only prices, please call us at (972) 571-7899

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