It’s the summer in the South and we all know what that means: It’s HOT! Warmer weather means that there is more stress to your lawn and insects come out in herds looking to feed on your grass. Be prepared to take care of your grass this summer in Birmingham, Ala., so you know when to fertilize, water, and cut your lawn and what signs to look for if you do experience a problem with your lawn.
Use fertilizers early on in the spring
In early Spring, you should use the first fertilizer of the season to get your lawn healthy by giving it the necessary nutrients it needs to be full and green. You will then do this again every thirty days for a total of four applications from Spring until early Fall. Over-fertilizing is a problem so only use the suggested amount every time you plan on using it.
Mow your lawn frequently
Usually, around Memorial Day and into early June, you will want to start mowing your lawn weekly. You will want to make sure that your lawn mower glass is sharp to get the best cut of your grass. Once a week is usually enough to cut your grass because you don’t want to cut more than 1/3 of the grass length, doing this will keep your lawn healthy. If you aren’t using a bagged lawn mower than it is usually a good idea to let the grass clippings stay on to the lawn and act as a healthy mulch for your grass. These clippings still have a lot of vitamins and minerals that will help your grass stay healthy and continue to grow.
Give your lawn the proper amount of water
Another integral part of caring for your lawn each summer is ensuring that your lawn receives the proper amount of water it needs to stay healthy. Believe it or not, watering your lawn excessively is extremely detrimental to the health of the grass and can make it more susceptible to fungus.
If you have an underground sprinkler system, that actually makes watering your lawn an easy task because you can set the timer for daily or even every other day and the amount of time you wish to water. That way, if you ever forget to turn the sprinkler on, or in some cases, turn it off, no worries! If you have to use a portable sprinkler or choose to do it yourself with a hose then, set a timer on your phone or even a wrist watch so that overwatering doesn’t occur; on average you’ll want to water your grass about 1-2 inches of water per week. If you are experiencing drought in your area, to be aware of water restrictions that your tow, city or county could issue.
Aerate your lawn so that it can breathe
In the fall, it’s a good idea to complete an aeration on your lawn, which will allow harder soil to loosen up to make it healthier. A Spike Aerator is usually the easiest way to do this but if you don’t have one, don’t worry about spending the money on purchasing one, this can be done with a tool as easy as a pitch fork, or another tool you may have, anything that will loosen the soil up.
Have questions about lawn care? Visit our Alabama lawn care page for more information.
