Summer is a rough time for your lawn–the sun beats down intensely, the rain falls harder, there’s more foot traffic to trample it, and weeds trying to take over at every turn. And that’s ignoring the problem of pests!

It’s understandable that your lawn naturally gets “stressed” during the hotter months.

Luckily, we have some easy lawn care tips to help protect your lawn and garden during the summer days. If you are looking for some helpful tips for your yard and garden, check out our previous article.

Summer Lawn Maintenance Tips

1. Walk on Your Grass Less

When you walk on properly watered glass, the blades spring back. But, on dry lawns, the grass gets beaten down. Too much foot traffic also leads to compacted soil that doesn’t allow air to get to the grass’s roots.

2. Sharpen & Raise Your Mower Blade

A dull mower blade shreds your grass, causing it to lose moisture and turn brown at the tips. Most grass should be mowed relatively high–try setting your mower blade to one of the highest settings. Tall grass grows deeper roots that suck up moisture much better than short grass.

3. Water in the Morning

Between 6 and 10 in the morning is the most effective time to water your yard and garden. This way, less water evaporates. Daytime watering is ineffective, and nighttime watering promotes mosquito breeding.

If the plants in your garden aren’t producing properly, or you notice a lot of dead patches of grass in your lawn late in the summer, you might have grubs.

Dealing With Grub Problems

Grubs (beetle larvae), are small C-shaped creatures that feed on plant and grass roots. The easiest way to determine if you have a grub problem, scrape the topmost layer of soil from your garden, or peel back a foot of your lawn turf. If there are only a few grubs, it’s not a major problem, but if you see more than six, it’s time for you to take action.

Mosquitos Control

It’s hard to enjoy your lawn in the summer if you’re worried about mosquito bites. We share a few tips to keep your lawn mosquito-free.

1. Turn Over Buckets and Kiddie Pools

Mosquitoes don’t need very much water to breed. Kids’ pools and toys that can collect water should be tipped over so they don’t turn into a breeding ground.

2. Put Tarps Over Items That Can Collect Water

If you’ve got a grill, firewood, or really anything else that can collect water in your yard, you should cover it tightly with a tarp.

3. Treat Your Lawn

You can get a gallon of effective insect repellent for a fairly low cost. Spraying your lawn, shrubs, and landscaped areas will create a barrier that mosquitos won’t want to enter.

When it comes to the hot summer days staying cool is not the only thing you need to worry about. Keeping your lawn in great condition provides the longevity it needs to survive the hot summer days.

Contact Xtreme Lawn Care to learn how we can help with grub and mosquito control in your home.