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-June: Lawn Care Tips-
JUNE: Your Spring Maintenance is Paying Off! Summer is by far the most stressful time of year for lawns, that's why it's important to encourage deep rooting and have healthy turf going into the summer months. A lawn can quickly become infested with crabgrass, plagued by grubs, or stricken with drought during a hot, dry, late summer so preparation is key. A lawn with a solid lawn care program can withstand most of the stress that summer can throw at it. A well maintained lawn can even withstand periods of drought with an extensive root zone, appropriate grass type, and proper maintenance. Below are tips for helping promote a healthy landscape that you can enjoy during the summer months.
· Mowing Keep your mower blade sharpened and never cut more than 1/3 of the blade off in a mowing. It is a good idea to keep the lawn as long as you feel comfortable (we recommend 2-3”). Leave the clippings on the lawn and rake out any large clumps left after mowing. Clippings are about 85% water and leaving them on the lawn will return the nutrients and water to the soil.
Watering: Your lawn should receive 1” of water weekly either by rain or irrigation should be sufficient if you have a strong root system. Don’t just set your irrigation system and forget it. Watch the lawn for signs of stress and run a cycle when the lawn needs it. Always water deep and long rather than short and frequently.
Weed Control: Hand-weed any undesirable plants. Make sure you get at least 2/3 of the root or the weed will return. Pulling the top off a weed and pouring boiling water down the root is another way to kill it. The best weed control is a healthy rhizomatous lawn which acts as a weed barrier and chokes out foreign weeds and grasses. Do not let them get to seed pod/flower stage or you will be fighting them for a long time!
Fertilizing: If you didn’t fertilize the end of May do so now. A balanced fertilizer with a 4:1:2 ratio is best. Apply about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet and water soon after to get the fertilizer closer to the roots. A Weed and Feed Fertilizer may help if weeds have started to pop up.
Irrigation: It is time to activate your irrigation system. Having your sprinkler system started up for the season early will eliminate thirsty plants when the rain stops. When the time comes that watering must begin, all you have to do is turn the dial on your controller to the on position and you will be ready to water, ensuring you have a lush green lawn and a healthy landscape. Natural Concept Landscape will be happy to activate your system for you and perform any adjustments and/or repairs. Please contact our office to schedule an appointment. Step by step instructions on how to activate your system can be found on the “May tab".
Trees & Shrubs: Insects and disease can aggressively attack trees and shrubs in the summer. Tree and shrub applications should be applied at the first sign of any damage or disease posing on your landscape. If you are unsure about what to do, please contact our office for a free consultation.
Flea, Tick and Perimeter Pests: We all know pesky bugs come out in the warmer months. Don’t let them attack your children, pets and homes. Be aware that you may need a 3-step program to provide a barrier for your home and landscape. Lawn Aeration and Seeding The need for lawn aeration and seeding is most obvious in the summer due to the lawn suffering from the scorching heat. Although you don’t actually start aerating and seeding until the fall, be mindful that it is something your lawn may require.
Hardscape: Hardscape projects can be done anytime of the year since the product isn't going to die from lack of water, however during dry periods the ground will be firmer so it is usually easier to get material to your worksite without tearing up the rest of the lawn, so now is a good time to get busy on a paver patio or retaining wall or a new concrete sidewalk. Every step of the way, Natural Concept Landscape is here to assist you with all of your lawn and garden care needs. We offer free consultations and excellent maintenance programs for a very affordable price. We are in the business of making your life a little greener, a little easier, and a lot more enjoyable. We are just a phone call away.
