Summertime lawn maintenance can be challenging. With extreme heat and reduced rainfall, keeping your grass healthy and green isn't always an easy task. To ensure your lawn is lush and ready for summer fun, learn more about how to care for your yard this July with the guide below. 

Common Lawn Problems in July

In the summertime, diseases and drought can threaten the appearance and health of your lawn. For example, a combination of the sun’s heat and underwatering can lead to dry patches, stress, and thinning.

Many conditions, including brown patches, rust, and straw-like blades known as dollar-spot lawn, are fungal diseases caused by pathogens and weather conditions. Fungal diseases are especially prevalent in cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fescue during the summer months.

Thinning grass and bare patches can also be signs that the lawn is too short. Your grass is essentially a large plant with many leaves, and like other plants, its leaves produce nutrients. When the lawn is cut too short, it loses the ability to generate food and promote healthy growth.

How to Keep Grass Healthy

In the summer, most lawns require at least one inch of water per week to promote deep, healthy root growth. If you notice signs of stress, adjust your lawn maintenance routine to increase the amount of water you provide to one-and-a-half to two inches.

Encourage the roots to grow down into the nutrient-rich soil by watering for longer periods, less often. You can test your soil’s moisture by penetrating the ground with a screwdriver to ensure the water has soaked at least four to six inches below the surface.

Prevent scorching and fungal diseases by irrigating between 5-7 a.m. Watering early allows any puddles to evaporate in the morning sun before diseases can spread.

Also, if you’re dealing with bare spots, consider letting the lawn grow longer than you typically do. Work with a lawn service to determine the right length for your species of grass and keep it cut to the appropriate height.

For help with summertime lawn maintenance, contact R & T Lawn Services, Inc. in Denver, NC. These experienced lawn care professionals provide a variety of services, including weed control, fertilization, aeration, and disease prevention, to keep your lawn beautiful and strong all summer long. Call (704) 589-0713 to schedule service, or visit the website to learn more about their offerings.