Everyone wants to have a beautiful lawn that will be the envy of the neighborhood, but many people don’t know how to achieve that beautiful, lush, healthy, green lawn during the warm summer months. Actually, it is not as difficult as many would think. If you follow these simple steps along with proper spring lawn care maintenance you can have a beautiful lawn this year.

First make sure you water your lawn properly. Watering your lawn is a big part of summer lawn care simply because it is for the most part the time of year when your lawn receives the least amount of rainwater. Typically, you want to make sure your lawn gets at least 1-1.5 inches of water, including rain. During the summer months this number sometimes needs to be adjusted a bit more so look at your lawn and if you notice it starting to yellow give it a bit more water, 1.5-1.75″ should be plenty but make sure you don’t overdo it. .water your lawn either.It’s also better to water your lawn in one larger session than to spread it out all week.You’ll also want to water before 10am to reduce evaporation, as you want all the water to sink into the soil, otherwise it won’t help your lawn at all.You can also water at night when it’s cooler, however it is better to water in the morning because watering at night promotes fungus and grass diseases.Never mow your grass during hot periods of the day as this will do absolutely nothing for your lawn, it may actually cause it to “burn”.

Second, the cutting height of your lawn plays a big role in the health of your lawn, especially during the summer. When mowing during the summer months, mow a little higher than normal. The reason you’ll want to mow a bit higher is to protect the roots from the hot sun. Although sun is important to the growth and health of your lawn, it is also a major factor in the “burnt” or “dead” yellowing effect that many lawns experience during the summer. I suggest leaving your grass at a height of at least 3-3.5″. You may need to cut your grass higher than that, sometimes even up to 4″, depending on the type of grass and the heat of the sun.

The third thing you’ll want to do is mow less frequently. During the summer months, you generally want to mow less than in the spring and fall months. At most you will want to mow once every two weeks during the summer. Additionally, mowing during the cooler morning and evening hours of the day is better not only for the lawn, but for you as well, as it reduces the risk of heat stroke and dehydration.

Finally, keep your mower blades sharp. You always want to have sharp blades when mowing so you really get a nice clean even cut. Dull blades don’t really cut the grass, they rip it. You want to keep your blades sharp all year long, as it’s important to cut your grass rather than rip it. Uprooting the lawn leaves it more open to disease.