Now that the 4th of July has come and gone, here are some tips for maintaining your lawn throughout the middle of the Summer. Midsummer can be brutal on your lawn, with dry spells and serious heat. Check out some tips below to help your lawn beat the heat:

Water Your Lawn Correctly!

In order to promote healthy growth, most grass only needs about 1-2 inches of water each week. This INCLUDES rainfall! If you have a wet week weather-wise, remember to turn off the sprinklers. Timing is also key. Frequently watering lightly will make your grass produce shallow, weak roots. Less frequent deep soaking promotes healthier, deeper root growth for the grass on your lawn.

Your Lawn Isn’t Dying- It’s Dormant

If you see patches of your lawn turn brown in the middle of July, then don’t panic! In most cases, the grass is still alive. Sometimes grass will turn brown in order to protect itself. This happens during extremely hot temperatures. A lawn can stay “dormant” until cooler and wetter weather comes to revive it. Three to four weeks is a good benchmark. If your lawn stays brown after that, call your local lawn care specialist to investigate.

Check Your Soil Health

Soil health is incredibly important. You can buy soil health test kits like these for relatively cheap. This device will give you a reading that will determine what nutrients your soil needs. It also will give you the PH of your soil which is a good way to measure soil health. Remember that you need your yard to last many seasons to come. It’s always a good idea to constantly monitor your soil health.

Mow Your Lawn Correctly

When the middle of the summer rolls around, grass starts growing super quickly. We know because we deal with it every day! grass growth explodes around July each year. You are probably tempted to give your yard a military-style buzz-cut, but resist the urge! Not only does short grass burn easily in the sun, short grass makes it easier for weeds to take hold and grow. Cutting your grass too short can also increase the risk of insect infestation. Let it grow. Remember the old motto – mow tall!

Putting these tips into practice will help ensure that your yard thrives throughout the Summer and your yard is ready for the next season.