Here’s a check list for your lawn at the official start of summer. And if you can check ‘yes’ on these three important health points you (or your lawn) should be in good shape no matter what the rest of summer brings.
Number one...if you did the right thing by aerating last fall (or early this spring), the plugs should be disintegrated by now, the holes filled up, and typically new root growth by the first of June will average 20%. This is important because new growth is healthy growth, and will help sustain your lawn through the heat and dry weather of July and August.
Healthy color at Memorial Day means your lawn has properly responded to good practices alike aeration and fall feeding.
Number two…if you did the right thing by feeding your lawn last fall, those new and healthier roots should be paying dividends in the form of newer, greener growth that’s immediately apparent. In fact, new root growth often signals a lighter shade of green in desirable cultivars (like bluegrass) and as they continue to mature will gradually turn to that familiar deep ‘blue-green’ color. If you don’t have good color in your lawn by June first it could be the signal of a systemic issue – disease – grubs, or simply lack of nutrition. Check the lawn care professionals at Ever-Green if you wonder.
Number three…June 1st is a good time to begin easing up the height of your mower deck…before the onslaught of hot dry days in July and August. Typically, most have mowed now for at least six weeks, so all the grass in your lawn should have reached a consistent height by this point. If you’ve been mowing at 3 inches, or 3 1/4 inches, you might want to come up another quarter to half inch. This extra height trains your grass plants to retain more color and ground moisture, and the added height also acts as an insulator, shielding the ground from direct sunlight, which helps fight evaporation of ground water. These are both good things and both will help you have healthier grass come ‘dog days’ in August.
As always, if you have specific questions give us a call at Ever-Green. Consultation and estimates are always free. Not knowing usually turns out to be very costly.
