Lawn Care can be a daunting task in the summer. A lot of homeowners are confused on what to do with their lawns in summer. There’s too much of wrong information, and then there’s this issue of being active and careful in a season which makes you feel utterly lazy.
You must have put in a lot of efforts on your lawn in spring. It’s crucial that you protect your garden from the excessive heat and be extra cautious. More than that, it’s important that you avoid lawn care mistakes.
What are the biggest lawn care mistakes?
1. Irregular watering
In the summer season, your lawn is under a lot of stress. The regular BBQ nights, games with kids & pets and frequent use of the garden in the season make it even more vulnerable. To protect your lawn from destruction, the first thing you need to take care of is watering.
Here are some things homeowners do to damage their lawn while watering.
They water their lawn every day. Watering your lawn every day doesn’t ensure that your lawn will get enough amount of water intake. What it needs is deep watering. If you deep-water your lawn, you wouldn’t need to water more than twice a week and your lawn will be healthy. Take help of the local lawn care professional to determine the right amount of water your lawn requires and stick to that number. It’s also essential to water early morning. Any time after that wouldn’t allow the grass to absorb water adequately.
Also Read: Secrets to a lush, green lawn
2. They do improper planning while planting new flowers and shrubs
There are numerous species of plants and grass. All of these are certainly not suitable for your garden. There are draught resistant species that work well in lawns that aren’t regularly irrigated. There are pest-resistant species that are apt for areas that face massive pest attacks. There are wear-tolerant species that are suitable for lawns put up in high-traffic areas. Some species don’t grow well in shady areas.
It depends on you, the homeowner, to decide what plant and grass species you choose for your lawn. If you rushed this process, you would certainly be in trouble in summer. It becomes way too challenging and expensive to manage a garden that doesn’t have the right kind of grass and plant species.
It’s also a good idea to have flowering plants and shrubs in the backyard. These plants make your garden look better. If you plan well and grow plants that complement one another, the soil will be naturally healthy and fit for your plants. These also reduce the amount of water you require for lawn care.
3. They use fertilizers in a wrong manner
A lot of homeowners have destroyed their gardens due to improper use of fertilizers. Just because these help the plants and grass grow doesn’t mean they’ll always have the same impact. Use of fertilizers on grass that’s not growing actively is a faux pas. Cool season grasses grow in fall and spring. Their requirement for fertilizers is only during these two seasons and hence, fertilizing such a lawn or plant in early or mid summer would be over-fertilization which isn’t good for your garden’s health.
Late summer is the right time for fertilization. If you’re planning to use slow-release nitrogen fertilizer, you should ask a pro for consultation as the application results will vary.
4. They make several lawn mowing blunders
Lawn mowing is a crucial aspect of lawn care, and it’s astonishing to see how many people go wrong with it.
First of all, stop trying to make your yard look like that of a golf course. Don’t shy away. We’re all guilty of0 it, at least once, in our life. Grass that receives standard care must not be cut that short. Long blades help the grass beat the heat.
It’s also crucial to not overdo lawn mowing. If you had procrastinated this task for months and now suddenly want the grass to be cut correctly, you’ll probably pick up the lawn mower and cut all the grass in one go. It’ll put the grass in shock. You should not remove any more than 1/3rd of grass blades at one time.
Also, you should be extra careful while operating the lawn mower. Many people don’t consider it a big deal to hit the trees plants in the garden. It affects the tree’s health and makes them weak. Weak trees are a significant risk as they can easily fall due to a storm. Not having proper equipment can lead to accidents that can injure you and your lawn simultaneously.
5. They try to become lawn doctors
Facebook groups are usually flooded with people seeking advice on what pest has infected their lawn. While sharing the pictures of your garden and possible condition with an expert is a good idea but you must understand that everyone isn’t an expert. You may be misguided, and it will cost you a lot.
Rather, if you’re facing a pest infestation or some serious issue with your lawn, you must call a professional lawn care service and ask for assistance. They’ll be able to diagnose the actual problem with your lawn and give you a proper solution.
6. They don’t follow instructions while using products
Maybe it’s a fertilizer of a pesticide, if you’re DIYing it, you must read the instructions carefully and follow them. A lot of homeowners just don’t find it important enough to read the labels. Not doing so makes them ignorant and causes damage to their lawn. Also, try to prefer organic lawn care products.
Whatever the problem might be, you should always read the product labels properly. And it’s not only applicable to lawn care. It’s a habit you should adopt while picking up any product from the market – be it health care, skin care, food, toys or anything.
I’m sure this list can be longer. Every homeowner would have his list of blunders, what those cost to him/her and what’s the way out. But above six are the most common. Therefore, you must be careful that you don’t commit these evident and dangerous mistakes.
