Summer is here and with it comes the dreaded heatwaves. Kenny and I went to an outdoor concert Friday night and it was 96 degrees when we got there! When we left, it was still in the upper 80s. Ugh. This summer heat has just been oppressive so far. Honestly, it seems as if these heatwaves are getting worse and worse, which can make it pretty challenging to even grow vegetables each year because of the brutal sun. While yes, many of us love basking in the sun, but our lawns? Not so much. When temperatures soar, your grass can quickly turn from lush green to crispy brown, which honestly can be a bit gut-wrenching because most of us care about the curb appeal of our homes.
Thankfully, there are steps you can take to help alleviate some of your summer lawn stress without getting burned to a crisp outside on 24/7 lawn maintenance. Even in this scorching heat, you can still manage to keep your lawn looking fresh and green. But how? Check out our lawn care maintenance tips to see everything you can do to keep your yard beautiful and lush during a heat wave.
Lawn Care Maintenance Tips During a Heatwave
Know Your Lawn’s Thirst – So this one may seem pretty obvious, but in all honestly, it deserves some attention. Just like us, our lawns get extra thirsty when it’s hot outside. Ah, summer dehydration. Be sure to think about the area in which you are located, in regard to climate and rainfall. In my experience, my grass needs about an inch of water per week, but during a heatwave, it might need a bit more. So, you could start with this rule of thumb and adjust accordingly. Of course, you don’t want to water your lawn so much that you turn it into a swamp, so just be mindful and change the amounts as needed to suit your unique lawn.
I find that the best time to water the lawn is early in the morning, before 10 AM. Why? From everything that I have read, this is the optimal time to allow the lawn to soak up the water before the sun gets too intense and starts evaporating it away. Watering in the evening might seem like a good idea, but I’ve read that it can actually encourage fungal diseases since the grass stays damp overnight. It can also help to attract some snails and slugs, too. Of course, if a yard full of snails and slugs is your thing, then you have at it.
As with my experience with most plants, it’s better to give your lawn a good, deep soak. This encourages the roots to grow deeper into the soil, making your grass more resilient to heat and drought. If you have a sprinkler system, you can set it up to water everything in the morning, so that could be a viable option. If, however, you don’t have a sprinkler system, don’t worry, you can still meet your lawn’s needs.
Mow High, Not Low – The way you mow your lawn is another thing you should consider adjusting during a drought. Some heatwaves can last for weeks, maybe even more than a month. The one we are currently experiencing in my area has been going on for the past couple of weeks and is expected to last at least another week, if not longer. You might choose not to mow the grass because of the heat. But if you are continuing to mow the grass, consider letting it grow a little longer. It’s not worth having a heat stroke and your lawn probably won’t grow as much with less rain anyway. You’re going to want to set your mower blade higher so you’re cutting only the top third of the grass blades. Why? Taller grass provides more shade for the soil, which helps keep it cooler and retains moisture longer. Plus, it helps the grass develop deeper roots, which, as we discussed earlier, is a good thing.
Consider a Robot – Unfortunately, sometimes even the early mornings or late nights can still feel way too hot and humid to cut the grass. It can sometimes feel like an impossibly, annoying [and potentially health risking] task when the temperatures sore. If the budget allows, then a robot lawn mower might be the perfect solution to all of these issues. Similar to a robot vacuum, a robot lawn mower can be programmed to mow your grass for you, perhaps while you are inside, chilling in the AC with a nice glass of iced tea.
Robot lawn mowers work quietly and can be programmed to mow early in the morning or late in the evening, avoiding the hottest part of the day. This not only helps your lawn but also conserves energy and reduces water evaporation. They also don’t bump into things like a robot vacuum and are built to be far more cautious of their surroundings. For instance, if the fluffy little squirrel that you have been coaxing into your yard with peanuts gets in the way of the mower, the machine will stop or divert. The programmed path will also account for your landscaping, mailbox, etc.
Shade Where You Can – Consider building up as much shade to protect your lovely landscaping as you can, where needed. Some plants love the sun and want as much of it as possible. But others do not and will dry up and wither away if too many of the rays scorch their delicate foliage. Your lawn can often be the same. If you have areas of your lawn that are particularly exposed to the sun, especially hot afternoon sun, consider creating some shade. Sometimes, the sun can just be way too harsh and challenging for the lawn, no matter how well intentioned your careful watering [and other] efforts are. Sometimes the best solution is to just look into providing more shade. To do this, you can plant sun loving trees or shrubs to provide natural shade to your lawn. Granted, these can take years to fully mature and you will need another solution in the meantime. Wonderful temporary solutions could be garden umbrellas and shade cloths. Or you could go for more permanent solutions, like pergolas.
Don’t Forget to Aerate – Aeration might sound like a fancy lawn care term, but it’s simply the process of poking small holes in the soil to allow air, water, and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots. If you’re new to lawn care, then chances are high that you didn’t know about this. During a heatwave, compacted soil can make it even harder for your grass to get the moisture and nutrients it needs. So learning proper techniques for aerating your lawn are important and allow your grass to breathe and grow more efficiently. You can use a simple garden fork for small areas or rent an aerator for larger lawns. It’s a bit of extra work, but your lawn will reward you with healthier, more lush and resilient grass.
Give Your Lawn a Little Love – When the heat index sores, your lawn might need a little extra pampering. After all, your yard is a part of your investment into the curb appeal and value of your home. Naturally, it’s going to need some more love than usual during heatwaves and incessant sun. If possible, earlier in the season, go ahead and look into adding a layer of mulch to your garden beds. This is a preventative measure that can help retain moisture and keep the soil cool. It works wonders for flower beds, and can help save you some hard work during a drought.
What are some tips you use to help keep your yard looking it’s best during heatwaves? Please share in the comments below.
