Warm weather in spring and summer brings with it an abundance of yard care tasks. It can also bring some yard-related worries as you wonder how to keep the grass green if there’s no rain and what yard care tasks to prioritize when you don’t want to be out in the hot weather for too long.
These ten tips will help you get a lawn and garden ready for summer in Texas. Some of these are things you can do in the spring to get ready, but most are things to keep in mind throughout the whole summer.
1) Aerate Your Lawn
Aerating a lawn opens up compacted soil so grass roots have room to grow. This also makes it easier for water and fertilizer to get deep into the soil.
In Texas, lawns typically have warm-season grasses like zoysia or Bermuda grass. You should aerate these grasses in mid-to-late spring after the weather warms up and they start actively growing. If you happen to have cool-season grass in your lawn, like Texas bluegrass, hold off on aerating until later summer or early fall when the weather starts to cool.
2) Update Irrigation System
If you have an irrigation system for your lawn, take the time to make sure it’s as water-efficient as possible. Replace any parts that leak. Rearrange sprinklers to make sure they’re only watering the lawn. Sometimes if you update the yard without remembering to check sprinklers, you could end up watering pavement or plants that don’t need as much water as the lawn.
Also, add a timer to the irrigation system if you don’t have one already. There are even smart timers available now that adjust the watering schedule based on rainfall to make sure you won’t be watering the lawn if you don’t need to.
3) Water at the Right Time
Whether you’re watering the lawn or a garden, make sure you’re watering in the right way and at the right time. Early in the morning is the best time to water. Watering before the sun is high overhead minimizes the amount of water lost to evaporation.
For lawns, make sure you’re watering deeply no more than once a week. If you start to notice run-off, turn the sprinklers off and give the water time to soak in before watering again. For gardens, spot-water the plants near the roots and try not to get water on the leaves.
4) Plan for Water Restrictions
There’s a good chance that you’ll have to deal with water restrictions when you’re living in Texas. Because we need to prioritize things like drinking water, the use of water on lawns is often restricted or banned during dry summer months.
You can help your lawn survive a summer with water restrictions with some simple lawn maintenance steps. Raising the height of your mower deck is an easy way to make the grass more drought resistant. Taller grass grows deeper roots, which makes it more resistant to heat and drought. When you mow, leave clippings on the lawn so they can break down and return moisture to the soil.
5) Fertilize Carefully
Like most plants, grass needs nutrients from the soil to grow. When getting your lawn ready for a Texas summer, though, make sure you don’t over-fertilize. Since fertilizer triggers grass growth, it can stress the lawn to get fertilizer when it’s not getting much water.
For a healthy Texas lawn that doesn’t require tons of extra water, fertilize in the spring and then hold off on fertilizing again until the fall. If you’d like to use organic fertilizer, click here to read our guide on fertilizing the lawn using compost.
6) Sharpen Mower Blades
Keeping mower blades sharp is a good idea throughout the year, but it’s most important during the summer. Cutting grass with a dull blade tears the grass instead of cutting it cleanly.
Tearing grass leaves puts stress on the plants, which is harder on them when there’s heat to deal with as well as possible water shortages. Ragged tears instead of clean cuts also make the grass more vulnerable to pests and turf diseases.
7) Mulch the Garden
For landscape beds, mulching is one of the best things you can do for plants to help them get through the hot months of the year. Mulch helps shade the plant roots, keeping the soil a little bit cooler. It also helps hold moisture into the soil, so plants do not need to be watered as frequently.
Mulching the garden has a few other benefits as well. A layer of mulch at least 2 inches thick will help prevent weeds from growing, making it much easier to take care of the garden. Additionally, if you use organic mulch like compost, shredded leaves, plant-safe wood chips, or straw, then the mulch will improve the garden soil as it starts to decompose.
8) Plant for Heat
If you have space in your garden for new plants, keep the heat and possible drought they’ll have to face over the summer in mind when picking out new plants. One way to help your garden look great all summer is to pick native plants, which are already adapted to Texas growing conditions.
You can also find non-native, heat-tolerant plants. For brilliant colors all summer long, planting annuals is a great way to increase the home’s curb appeal. Be sure to choose heat-loving annuals like celosia, cosmos, lantana, moss rose, pentas, salvia, and zinnias. Many vegetables, like tomatoes and peppers, also thrive in the hot weather.
9) Stop the Bugs
There’s one kind of bug that no one wants in the yard. Mosquitos. Unfortunately, they tend to show up in the spring and summer and it’s often challenging to get rid of them. Here at Richardson Saw, we recommend Mosquito Steve products to solve this problem naturally.
Mosquito Steve products use essential oils that are safe for people and pets to repel mosquitoes. A combination of sprays, granules, and incense sticks gives you full-yard protection so you can enjoy the outdoors without unwanted pests showing up. Click here to learn more.
10) Take Care of Yourself and Your Tools
When you’re working with lawn equipment in hot weather, there are some safety tips you should keep in mind. You don’t want yourself or the equipment to overheat in the hot summer weather.
Make sure you drink plenty of water and take breaks in the shade. These breaks will give you and the equipment time to cool down. Remember to still wear safety equipment, like long pants and close-toed shoes, and to wear a hat to keep the sun off your head and face. Also, make sure you check air filters and air intakes regularly. Good airflow is essential for keeping lawn equipment from overheating during the summer.
If you want to replace any old equipment or treat yourself to something new this summer, come visit us at Richardson Saw & Lawnmower. We carry mowers, trimmers, edgers, and many more tools to meet all your summer yard care needs. We’ll also be happy to chat with you and answer any questions you might have about our lawn equipment or specific challenges you might be facing in your yard.
