Palm Harbor lawn care services
The average U.S. temperature is 52.7 °F with Palm Harbor's temperature varying from 54 °F to 89 °F, rarely going below and above 43 °F and 93 °F, respectively. Winter days are the exact opposite of the summer days as winter days are short, chilly, blustery, and partly cloudy while the summer days are long, oppressively hot, and cloudy most of the time. The hottest month experienced in Palm Harbor is August whereas March, April, and November categorize under the pleasant time of the year.
How does this unbearably warm climate affect the substantial lawns that we own with our houses in Palm Harbor? Summers can be extremely challenging to maintain your lawns as the grass is under great pressure, trying to replace the water lost via excessive transpiration. If it is unable to do so, your lawn will desiccate.
Issues your lawn may face due to excessive water loss
Weeds
Weeds are unwanted plants growing on cultivated land and get in the way of seeds you want to flourish. They prove to be the most bothersome for your lawns and include plants such as crabgrass, which you cannot get rid of even after they die as their seeds carry on their irritancy. It is an annual weed and affects your grass an entire year or during its growing season. An example of a perennial weed is dandelions which come back every year and reproduce from their roots. Some weeds tend to be grass-like or broad-leaved making it difficult for their identification and removal.
Dry Patches
Pretty self-explanatory, dry patches are dried up, parched, dehydrated, and desiccated areas of your lawn that may appear in small, isolated sectors. A significant factor affecting the visuals of your lawn, reducing its splendor. These patches are also challenging to recover as it causes the grass to become water-repellent, forming a waxy layer and making watering ineffective. A common cause of the formation of dry patches is coating your soil with water-repellent chemicals to avoid fungi growth and protection from pests.
Dry Spell
Your lawn during a dry spell, that is, a period of excessive water loss, will go dormant. That means that your grass will no longer grow. Even if your grass is warm-season grass, it will struggle during the drought period, and its leaves and stems will die, turning brown. However, the organs required for its growth are still alive, and your grass can easily recover if the rain comes back in about 3 to 4 weeks. If the required moisture is not provided even after these weeks, your lawn can face permanent damage and will die eventually.
How to overcome these obstacles and keep your lawn healthy and vibrant green
Watering
When it comes to lawn care, the most crucial step is watering your grass with the required amount. During the intensely hot summer periods, even your warm-season grass will demand to be watered frequently. The root and shoot growth that has declined in this time needs to be administered. An effective way would be deep watering your lawn, and this would also require watering infrequently. Light sprinkling, which needs to be done quite a few times a week, can be replaced with this more efficient method. Deep watering is only needed once a week and by making use of a rain gauge you can measure the level of the water needed for your grass to receive an inch of moisture. Make sure each area of your lawn is getting the essential amount of water to avoid dry patches as the areas that will not get enough water will develop them.
Fertilizing
The growing period of your warm-season grass will kick-start with the arrival of the warmth of late spring. That is when you need to apply fertilizer to boost the growth of your plants. Fertilizer applied following the needs and time can result in lush green grass. Apart from the timely application, proper application is another important factor as it will help your grass thrive and withstand drought conditions. Make sure to use a fertilizer appropriate for summer feeding. Moreover, choosing a fertilizer after proper research on the type of grass growing in your lawn and its requirement will also benefit your grass growth and health.
Essential tools
Your mower is intact, and you are all set for lawn care during the summer. You want to cut the grass, not tear it, and for that, regular sharpening of your mower blades is a must as grass tearing can cause your mower blades to weaken. Another must-to-do is setting your mower blades higher related to winter for summer as you have to make sure to mow 2-3 inches of grass. This quantity needs to be changed depending on the grass growing on your lawn. For instance, St. Augustinegrass, a warm-season grass, needs to be mowed at 3-4 inches, and therefore knowing your grass is also an important step. Moreover, you will need irrigation and watering systems for your lawn if you do not have a sprinkler. If your lawn is larger than a normal-sized one in Palm Harbor, you may require 2 to 3 sprinklers installed at an even distance to cover each corner of your lawn.
Lawn Love to the rescue
Do you want a well-kept lawn that will impress all your neighbors and make them marvel but cannot be bothered to go through the troubles of grass research, mowing responsibilities and fertilizer types? Think nothing of it. Lawn Love has got your back. Commanding professionals with experience that goes up to 10 years, we take full responsibility for your lawn by managing it, mowing it, choosing the grass and fertilizer. You name it, and we are capable of it all, bringing the best out of your lawns while you sit back and relax. Contact us today to be connected to our professionals or explore our website to learn more.
