Helping your Landscape Survive the Summer

Sometimes, it’s not insects, pests, grubs or fungus that’s causing your grass, shrubs and trees to look lackluster – it’s just the elements.

With 2010 shaping up to be the hottest summer on record, we came up with some good advice on helping your garden stay green.

• Water, water, water: The most important element of a beautiful landscape is water. Make sure that your grass, trees and shrubs are well-irrigated during the heat of summer.
• But don’t over-water: It’s tempting to overwater, but remember that latent moisture and high temperatures are the ideal breeding ground for fungus. Make sure to water your plants and grass, but try to do so in moderation, and in the morning so the heat of the day dries it up by nightfall.
• Mulch it up! Less than three inches of mulch around the base of shrubs and plants can help reduce moisture loss and keep the temperature of the soil down, helping give your plants the water they need, while inhibiting fungal growth.
• Leave it long: Don’t be too eager to mow your lawn. Not only does that add stress to your already heat-stricken grass, but if you are suffering from Summer Patch, Brown Patch or other grass diseases, the stray grass clippings can carry fungus and bacteria to other, uninfected areas of your landscape.
• Don’t fertilize! You might think summer’s when your lawn and plants need to be fertilized the most, but you’d be wrong. Fertilizer salts actually draw water out of plant roots, causing them to dehydrate even more. Leave the fertilizing until the summer’s over, or trust it to tree and lawn care professionals like Aspenn Environmental Services.
• Get weeding: Weeds are especially hardy, and will use this opportunity to quite literally ‘root’ themselves in your landscape. Not only are they ugly; they also leech water and nutrients from your grass and shrubs. Make sure you do as much weeding as possible.
• Contact the professionals: A tree and lawn care specialist like Aspenn Environmental Services will be happy to evaluate your landscape and recommend a year-round treatment program that will keep your lawn, trees and shrubs looking their best all year round.