Summer is in full swing. Chances are you're spending some time outdoors this season.
Here are our tips for keeping your yard looking great during the summer.
How To Keep You Yard Beautiful in the Summer
1. Aerate Your Lawn
In order to keep your lawn healthy and happy, you’ll want to aerate it in the summertime. Aerating is the process of making small holes throughout your lawn to provide room for water and other nutrients to soak deep into the soil and layers beneath the grass. This in turn allows grass to grow deeper, stronger, and more lush. Aerating also prevents soil compaction, which can prevent the growth of plants, flowers, and grass.
Do I need to aerate my lawn?
Be sure to aerate your lawn if:
- Is heavily used for sports, play, walking, etc.
- You’ve recently moved into a new home with new sod
- You’ve recently had construction and/or a layer of grass or soil removed
- Your lawn was created from sod rather than seed
How do I aerate my lawn?
Choose the Right Aerating Tool
Many home and garden stores sell aerating tools to help you aerate your lawn in the summer. You’ll want to choose an aerating tool that allows you to penetrate at least 4-5 inches below the layer of topsoil. Aerating your lawn using tools that only create holes 1-2 inches deep are essentially ineffective, since water can already penetrate soil that close to the surface of the ground.
Aerate Your Lawn After a Rainshower
Aerating a lawn with little to no moisture can be nearly impossible. Wait until after a rainstorm or after a recent watering in order to penetrate the deep layers of soil beneath the surface. This is where you want extra moisture and nutrients to accumulate.
2. Prepare Your Equipment
Now is a great time to sharpen lawn mower blades, replace weed eater string, and invest in fertilizer and fresh plants and flowers. Prepping your work station and tools in advance will save you a lot of hassle in the long run. Think of it this way - it’s much easier to sharpen blades and replace string on the front end rather than having to stop in the middle of a mowing session to make a visit to the home and garden store or lawn care center.
3. Plan Your Garden
Now is the perfect time to plan your late summer and fall garden. Plot out your produce on a piece of paper, and take a trip to the local home and garden store to purchase new seeds and seed starters.
What Can I Plant in My Garden in Summer?
Some fruits and vegetables thrive in an environment with warm soil. Here’s what to plant in your garden and when.
June
Beets - Beets are one of the fastest growing types of produce. Planting in June will yield a late summer harvest.
Cabbage - Cabbage is not only one of the easiest plants to grow in a backyard garden, it’s also one of the most useful. Plant your cabbage in June in order to have plenty of cabbage for Labor Day slaws and salads.
Carrots - Carrots thrive in warm summer heat and should be planted in mid-June.
Cucumbers - Cucumbers are another type of produce that grow remarkably fast. Plant a few in early to mid-June for the perfect summer cucumber salads.
Herbs - Herbs like basil, oregano, thyme, and sage thrive in the warm summer heat. Spruce up your homemade pizzas and summer dishes with fresh herbs from the garden.
Melons - Watermelons, honeydew melons, and cantaloupe are all fruits that can survive the warm summer heat.
Summer Squash - Summer squash planted in June will yield bountiful amounts of produce as early as August and September.
July
Broccoli - Spruce up your stir-fry and summer salad dishes with fresh broccoli straight from the garden. Broccoli can even be planted in the cool fall months.
Corn - Some varieties of corn can be planted as late as mid-July for a late summer harvest.
Kale - Kale is one of the easiest types of produce to grow year-round in a backyard garden and works well in salads, pasta dishes, baked as a snack, and more.
August
Kale - Why buy salad mix from the grocery store when you can grow your own?
Lettuce - Like kale, many varieties of lettuce can be grown year-round in warmer climates.
Radishes - Radishes are fairly easy to grow and make great additions to summer salads.
Spinach - Spinach is another leafy vegetable that thrives in late summer. Get creative with salad and pasta dishes this summer and fall with fresh spinach from your garden.
4. Tweak Your Technique
With the summer heat comes the time to adjust the amount of time spent on lawn care. In the summertime, you’ll need to water more often for longer periods of time. You’ll also want to mow your yard higher to prevent clipping more than ⅓ of grass stems in order to keep your yard looking fresh and healthy.
5. Feed your Lawn
Take extra care to nourish your lawn with fertilizer in the summertime. Providing plenty of water and nutrients can keep your outdoor areas beautiful for months to come.
What kind of fertilizer should I use?
There are many types of fertilizer on the market today. While homemade compost is arguably the best mode of fertilizer, you may not have the tools, resources, or space to create your own. Many home and garden centers carry both organic and chemical fertilizers. Both are effective at fertilizing lawns, but there are pros and cons to each.
Organic Fertilizer
Organic fertilizers only use naturally-occurring compounds, such as manure, or emulsified seaweed and cottonseed particles. While organic fertilizer tends to be more expensive than chemical fertilizer, it’s better for the environment and your lawn.
Chemical Fertilizer
Chemical fertilizer is available in various forms and is readily available at just about every home and garden store and lawn care center. While chemical fertilizer is cheaper and easier to maintain than organic fertilizer, it can damage the soil and the health of your lawn overtime, making it harder for plants, trees, shrubs, and grass to grow. Some chemical fertilizers can also be harmful to pets and people, so special care must be taken to properly follow instructions to ensure safety.
6. Prep Your Patio
Summer is here, and patio season will soon be in full swing. If your family spends a considerable amount of time outdoors, or if you’d like to, now is a great time to consider investing in a new outdoor space for late summer entertaining. Here are a few of our favorite ways to add value and warmth to your outdoor spaces.
Custom Outdoor Kitchens
Custom outdoor kitchens allow you to bring the warmth of the hearth to the outdoors. Grill out, enjoy cocktails and even host family dinners from the comfort of your outdoor kitchen space.
MEMPHIS LANDSCAPE DESIGN EXPERTS
Add Accent Lighting
Adding string lights to your patio or accent lighting to your landscaping can add value and warmth to your outdoor living spaces.
MEMPHIS LIGHTING EXPERTS
7. Install an Irrigation System
Irrigation systems are a great way to take the hassle out of maintaining your yard in the summer heat. An irrigation system will ensure your flowers, trees, shrubs, and lawn have enough moisture. Irrigation systems can also prevent soil erosion and control temperature by cooling the ground and surrounding areas.
If you decide to install an irrigation system, it’s important to find a trained irrigation expert who is able to identify any potential problems or necessary groundwork.
Expertly installed irrigation systems can even lower energy costs, while improperly installed irrigation systems can lead to major disasters like flooding and loss of property and plant life from water damage. Ready to install your irrigation system? Contact the experts at MidSouth Irrigation and Landscape.
CONTACT US