As the final weeks of summer approach, a strong finish to lawn-growing season can set up a yard for future success, according to an expert.
“It is about keeping good habits and knowing where you need help,” said William McEwen, a technical and quality adviser for Virginia Green. “There are some tasks that are better left for the professionals and others that you can handle on your own.”
How can a homeowner keep their yard green and lush? McEwen offered a few do’s and don’ts for end-of-season lawn maintenance.
Don’t: Take too much off the top
During the spring and summer months, the ideal lawnmower height is between 3 ½ and 4 inches. Keeping your lawnmower at that height promotes deeper root growth, better color and thicker grass.
“We typically advise our customers to keep your mower on the highest setting,” McEwen said. “If you are going to stay on that tall setting, maintaining a consistent mowing schedule — about once a week — is key. If you miss a week and are catching up, you might take off too much and injure your lawn. You never want to cut more than a third of your existing grass.”
Do: Calibrate your watering
With typical Virginia weather patterns, water your lawn three or four times a week, with each watering totaling around 1/2 inch of water. Whether you have an irrigation system or a simple sprinkler setup, you can track your water totals by putting a dish in the area you are watering and measuring liquid totals.
The time of day when you water is also vital.
“Water in the morning before the sun comes up,” McEwen said. “If you don’t have an irrigation system, you can put your sprinkler on a timer.”
Watering in the morning makes evaporation less likely and ensures your lawn gets the necessary hydration, said McEwen.
Don’t: Wing it when it comes to fertilizer
Even as the season dwindles, fertilizer application can reap long-term benefits. With a roster of well-trained professionals, Virginia Green’s staff has the know-how to put down the right products when they are most beneficial.
“We are applying fertilizer frequently this time of year,” McEwen said. “I would recommend you leave fertilizer application to a professional. Misapplication can do more harm than good, and there are a lot of products out there. Our service leaders at Virginia Green apply the right products in the proper quantities to give nutrients that will help your current and future grass.”
Do: Consider aeration
McEwen said that late summer and early fall are prime times to aerate your lawn. Aeration involves making small holes in your lawn to allow for air and water to penetrate the roots.
Aeration is not a task for a novice. But, according to McEwen, homeowners can help the process by cutting their lawn shorter than usual — consider putting the mower height around 2 ½ inches — prior to aeration.
“We use heavy equipment to aerate,” McEwen said. “We know how to do it, and we offer a guarantee on all our work. The sooner you sign up for aeration and seeding, the better, as spots fill up quickly.” Virginia Green offers its own proprietary seed blend, which is 100% weed-free, contains no other crop seeds and is comprised of 97% of Tall fescue and 3% of Kentucky Bluegrass fescue varieties.
Click here to learn more about Virginia Green’s lawn care services.
