Wow! While this summer has been actually quite lovely overall, we sure have had some heat with which to contend! And if you are like us, it is difficult to keep all of your plants happy. And your lawn, too.
Here are a few things to help you keep your garden and lawn looking nice through the heat.
First, water your plants early in the morning; don't wait until the heat of the day. Watering first thing in the morning allows them to take up the moisture so they can better tolerate the heat of the day. Waiting until later is better than no water at all but beware you don't get water on the leaves as that can lead to the sun burning them. Water the roots!
Lawns also are prone to drying out, as we all well know, on those very hot days. To help keep your lawns healthy, if you feel you must water, do so VERY early in the morning to allow the lawn to dry throughout the day. Watering late in the day can lead to fungus in your lawn. Make sure you water 1" a week.
Better yet, don't water at all! Lawn grass varieties used in our growing zone are meant to go dormant in very hot weather. Yes, they are meant "go to sleep" during those hot times. Watering your lawn all of the time or inconsistently results in shorter root systems. By leaving your lawn alone, the grass goes looking for water, sending roots deeper into the ground. This will leave you with a much healthier lawn in the long run.
When mowing, raise your blade to 4". Longer grass shades the ground keeping it cooler and also helps stop weed seeds from receiving the sunlight necessary to germinate. And did you know that it is a proven fact that short grass grows faster? Since your lawn uses the sun for "nourishment", cutting it short forces the grass to grow quickly to make up for the loss of leave area necessary to grow. Great news for those of us who would prefer to spend our days drinking lemonade instead of mowing!