Don’t Make These Common Summer Lawn Care Mistakes

When it comes to the summer months, lawn care may seem like a breeze. Homeowners tend to get into a pattern of mow, water, weed—repeat; however, there are a few overlooked but important things to keep in mind when it comes to what not to do.

We're here to highlight common summer lawn care mistakes and help you achieve a summer of outdoor fun on a healthy lawn.

Avoid These Summer Lawn Care Mistakes:

Burning your lawn with fertilizer:

Adding too much fertilizer or adding it at the wrong time is a common summer lawn mistake that homeowners make. Too much fertilizer can burn grass blades and promote disease. By choosing slow-release fertilizers that do not need to be replenished as often, you can nourish your summer lawn with the vitamins it needs while not risking burning or other common problems.

Overwatering or underwatering:

It’s important to find the perfect balance when it comes to watering your summer lawn. Too much or too little can cause big problems. If you water your summer lawn with too much water, you will wash away nutrients and create an environment ripe for fungus, making it susceptible to disease. Too little water can cause your grass to discolor and die. As a rule of thumb, most types of grass require one to two inches of water per week to thrive.

Neglecting weeds:

Weeds are strong and resilient in nature. They’re especially strong and tend to thrive during the summer months. Weeding is an essential task to keep your lawn healthy. If left un-weeded, weeds can take over your garden beds and lawn, making it difficult to come back from. Be sure to check for weeds routinely and remove them as quickly as possible.

Cutting your lawn with dull blades:

Have you checked the sharpness of your mower blades lately? Dull mower blades can injure your grass blades, leaving them more susceptible to disease. Not to mention, frayed grass blades can have a negative impact on the aesthetic look of your lawn.

Cutting your lawn too short:

Just like watering, mowing requires a perfect balance between too much and too little. Many overzealous homeowners take the step of mowing their lawn too much or leaving the grass blades too short so that they don't have to mow as often. Generally, you should never cut the grass below the one-third mark. If you do cut your grass too short, you may cause it to lose valuable nutrients and succumb to disease.

Leaving clumps of cut grass after mowing:

The grass grows like crazy in the summer, and post-cut grass clumps can seriously pile up. Resist the temptation to leave the grass clippings on top of your turf after you mow your lawn this summer. The left-behind grass clippings can block the sun from reaching your lawn, causing the grass to turn yellow. Be sure to rake up the grass clippings to keep your lawn healthy.

Choosing the wrong grass for your area:

Certain types of grass fit your geographic location while others don’t. If you choose grass types that aren’t a good fit for your climate and soil characteristics, you will be struggling against the odds to help your summer lawn succeed.

Neglecting the high traffic areas:

Summer is the time for increased outdoor activity, raised temperatures and scorching sun—all elements that can lead to wear and tear on your summer lawn. One way to mitigate this issue is to install stepping stones or pavers in highly trafficked areas where you don't need full grass. You may try other ways to minimize the effects that heavy traffic has on your summer lawn like raking the grass in certain areas.

Overlooking signs of insects and pests:

Summer lawns are prime targets for insect infestations, such as mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, chinch bugs, cutworms, armyworms, sod webworms and fire ants. A routine pest preventative maintenance plan can help stop insects from overtaking your lawn.

When the weather is favorable and kids are out of school, a summer lawn is a homeowner's oasis. Get a healthy lawn in the summer and year-round with our tailored lawn care plans that meet your specific needs.