Making the Most of your Mower

As the summer heats up, what you think of as your lawn’s best friend might have turned into its worst enemy. Whether you push it or ride it, your mower needs some special attention to make sure it’s giving your grass its best during July and August.

You might have spotted the signs already – limp grass, yellow or brown patches and even spots of bald turf. The summer heat is brutal enough on lawns and landscapes as it is – even more figuring in that 2010 is shaping up to be one of the hottest years on record.

But there’s a lot you can do to help your lawn looking good. Regular watering is probably the easiest step – feeding your grass with the life-giving moisture it needs to fend off the heat.

But adjusting the way you care for your lawn can also make a different. Try these tips:

• Mow a Little Higher: Traditionally, short grass is a good idea. In addition to looking neater and more manicured, keeping grass short helps protect your family from ticks and tick bites because insect prefer longer grass. In the summer time, though, your lawn will appreciate the extra inches – and look greener as a result.
• Sharpen Your Blades: Just like a razor, the blades of your mower can get dull with age. As a result, they don’t ‘slice’ the grass like they did when new – they actually ‘tear’ the tips off. This causes added damage – and another reason for your lawn to look less than lush (it uses more gas, too.) Do your grass a favor and take your mower down to the dealer.
• Leave it a little Longer: No just the grass – but the intervals between mowing. Your lawn might not look so neat, but it’s a good way to give your grass a bit of extra time to recover from getting trimmed – and have a bit of extra protection from the heat.

The real trick to a lovely summer lawn, however, starts long before the temperature starts going up. Seeding, aerating and fertilizing your lawn should all take place in fall and springtime, giving your lawn enough time to get bolstered for the blistering summer weather.

Talking to lawn care specialists like Aspenn Environmental Services is a good place to start. They offer lawn aeration and fertilizing services to get your lawn looking lush, paired with integrated pest management programs to keep it that way.

By using carefully tailored insect control treatments, Aspenn minimize the use of chemicals without sacrificing effectiveness – meaning your family and pets are protected and your lawn look beautiful throughout the summer months.