Every summer, most sections of the United States, and very often here in the UK as well experience at least one prolonged heat wave. Heat waves typically do not include moisture to help keep our lawns a robust green. Whenever summer temperatures soar into triple digits, you need to know how to keep your grass green during a heat wave. Lawns that lose the robust green colour indicate dying grass, which invites weeds and other unsightly additions to your home landscape.
The following tips do not require much of a financial investment, just a commitment on your part to know how to keep your grass green during a heat wave.
Fertilizer to the Shed
At the first sight of a lawn losing its verdant charm, many homeowners panic and apply fertilizer to bring the grass back to life. Do not fall into panic mode and apply fertilizer to your lawn during a heat wave. Like oil and water, fertilizer and heat waves do not mix. In fact, applying fertilizer to a lawn during a heat wave irreparably damages the grass.
Early Bird Gets the Worm
Early morning grass watering represents one of the most important lawn care tips throughout the growing season. During a heat wave, you must water grass early in the morning when grass thrives due to cooler temperatures. Grass retains more moisture early in the morning to ensure a vibrant green colour.
Long Grass Protects the Soil
Heat waves place a lot of stress on grass, but intense heat does even more damage to the soil. Nutrient rich soil replete with moisture ensures grass blades retain their colour. Homeowners that cut lawns too short risk exposing the vulnerable soil to blazing hot sunlight. Dried out soil gives your grass no chance of retaining its verdant nature. So in short keep your grass longer in the summer to protect the soil from intense heat.
If You Miss the Morning Mow…
…mow late in the day. Even if you maintain long grass, mowing during the peak of the heated day exposes the grass to rapid evaporation. Although early morning mowing provides the healthiest option for grass, you can skip rising early to mow and wait until near dusk to take advantage of the cooling air.
Water Your Grass Deeply
The reason many homeowners use sprinklers and other types of lawn watering devices is to ensure water runs deep into the ground. An extended watering twice a week during a heat wave ensures your grass has enough moisture to ride out the hottest days of the year. The deeper your water, the longer your grass roots grow. Longer grass roots have access to much more soil nutrients.
