We all love a nice, hot, sunny day lying out in our garden or entertaining friends and family with a summer BBQ. It’s fair to say that relaxing on a lush green summer lawn makes the whole experience even more pleasurable. But for a lawn, this can be the most stressful time of the year. So what can you do to keep your summer lawn looking its best?
Watering
The most important thing we can do is give it a much-deserved drink. Water at times when the moisture is likely to soak in rather than evaporate, early morning or late evening is the best. Try to avoid giving your lawn a light sprinkling every day, as this can cause the roots to grow shallow and be prone to drying out. When it’s dry, a good soaking once or twice a week is much more beneficial for your lawn.
It’s worth noting that a well-fed and maintained lawn will have a stronger and deeper root system, enabling it to withstand and recover from long dry periods. Why not feed and water your lawn at the same time? Hose end feeders can help you apply a feed as you water, alternatively, soluble feeds can be applied via a watering can.
Mowing
Try to mow your lawn at least once a week, keeping the height of the grass to about 1 inch. Ensure all clippings are collected and composted but avoid cutting too short as this will encourage weeds and moss to enter your lawn. In really hot, dry weather your lawn will become stressed and it is advisable to reduce the amount of mowing, and allow your grass to grow longer.
Lawn weeds
Should weeds and moss be a problem for your lawn then a quick application of a suitable 4 in 1 lawn care product, will eradicate that problem. If weeds are the main problem for your lawn then apply a selective lawn weedkiller, specially formulated to target your lawn weeds without harming the grass. We recommend the following products to help tackle lawn weeds:
- Miracle-Gro EverGreen Complete 4 in 1 (use from April to September)
- Miracle-Gro EverGreen Premium Plus Weed Control Lawn Food (use from March to September)
- Weedol Gun! Lawn Weedkiller (use from April to September)
- Weedol Lawn Weedkiller (Liquid Concentrate, use from April to September)
Feeding
Warm weather will encourage your lawn to grow rapidly and use up the nutrients in your soil. Give your lawn a helping hand by providing it with some valuable feeding to keep it looking its best.
For a fast green-up use a liquid lawn feed such as Miracle-Gro EverGreen Fast Green, perfect for last-minute feeding prior to having friends and family around. For larger areas applying granular fertiliser, using a lawn spreader will speed up the process and give you better, even results. During dry conditions, these products will need to be watered in to activate the feed.
Seeding and repairing
The optimum time for seeding and repairing your lawn in spring and early autumn, however, if you’re prepared to water diligently it can still be done successfully in summer.
You can repair unsightly patches of dead dried grass using patching products. Or, where dogs have caused the bare areas, repair the damage with specially formulated repair packs suitable for use where dog urine has scorched the grass. Miracle-Gro offers an extensive range of grass seed products and also offers excellent lawn patching products.
Did you know?
Studies show that green spaces lower blood pressure, improve attention and reduce fear and anger. Children who spent more time in green play areas show reduced ADHD symptoms and have less weight gain. So keep follow this Summer lawn care advice and keep your lawn looking its best to benefit everyone!
