Lawns - I love the smell, feel and look of what I call “nature’s canvass.”
It is the most elemental of outdoor style and is any home’s showpiece when the lawn is lush, green and manicured. I admit that my husband Joe is the lawn caretaker and I have gained some great tips to share on summer lawn care – by watching him do it!
So here are some mid-summer lawn care tips from Joe:
-Keep your lawn mower blades sharp. You want to “cut” the blades of grass, not tear them. This will keep the grass healthy and less susceptible to disease.
-Let your grass height be approximately 3-4 inches during a drought period. The grass blades will be at their healthiest, greener and more plush.
-Do not cut more than 1/3 of your grass per cut. You want the grass to continue to shade itself, get the nourishment from the sunlight and retain moisture.
-The rule of thumb is that lawns need an inch of rainfall or watering each week. If you are having a “drought” period, water in the early morning.
-Summertime temperatures are too hot to add fertilization to your lawn. Fertilizer will actually burn your grass. Wait to do this until fall or early spring.
-Wait to aerate heavy traffic areas until the end of August or September. This is what most major golf courses do.
So enjoy a picnic, a good book or even a hammock nap surrounded by the beautiful greens of summer!