If you’re like a lot of people, you probably love the summer. Summertime in cities like Alexandria and Arlington is often filled with outdoor activities like barbecues, picnics, lawn games, and more. You’ll likely spend more time outside and see and use your lawn more than ever.
Because of that, you want it to look and perform its best so that you can get the most out of it.
Many Northern Virginia homeowners don’t realize that summer is the most stressful time of the year for their lawns. We find that a common misconception is that winter is the most stressful season for grass, but in reality, it’s the combination of intense heat, periods of drought, summer lawn pests, new weed threats, summer lawn diseases, and even more wear and tear that can really start to take a toll on even the healthiest turf.
While summer lawn care can feel a bit overwhelming, with the right lawn care partner, you’ll have an expert on your side.
We spoke to our lawn care guru, Grant Osvalds, about everything you need to know to care for your lawn in the summer. Grant is our Director of Lawn Care, Plant Health Care, and Pest Defense, and he knows everything it takes to maintain a healthy summer lawn. He also knows where things commonly go wrong.
Lawn mowing is a seemingly basic lawn care task that most homeowners feel they can do themselves. But Grant says that mowing mistakes can be the difference between a lawn that looks green and healthy and one that is yellow and struggling.
In fact, we see this often. You and your neighbor might be receiving the same lawn care treatments, but one lawn might look better than the other. Many times, this can be traced back to improper mowing.
The biggest mistake that Northern Virginia homeowners tend to make in the summer is cutting their lawn too short. Following the proper lawn mowing height is critical, particularly in the summer months when your lawn is already stressed. We’ll talk about that and more in this section.
Lawns in Northern Virginia should be cut no shorter than 3.5 inches. In the summer, we prefer people to raise their mowing decks to 4 inches. However, we know that people often end up cutting their lawns shorter.
A lot of people compare their lawns to golf courses. They see that their favorite greens are cut super short, and they want to do the same thing. But you can’t compare a residential lawn in Alexandria, Arlington, or Springfield, VA to a golf course for a couple of key reasons.
For one, they are constantly and heavily irrigated by intensive systems that run far more than your average residential system would need to. They also have someone tending to the turf daily.
But perhaps more importantly, they often use different grass types that can be cut short. Most residential lawns in Northern Virginia are composed of cool-season grasses (mostly tall fescue, with some bluegrass).
Cutting the lawn too short puts tremendous stress on it, says Grant. People often don’t realize that “surviving” a cut is already stressful for the lawn. And when you cut it too short, that’s a lot for your lawn to recover from. Cutting the grass does affect its natural photosynthesis, Grant explains.
That’s why we also recommend only cutting one-third of the grass blade at a time.
We recognize that this can be challenging, especially in the summer. You might fall behind because of summer vacations and activities. But trying to catch up on all of that mowing at once can be detrimental to the lawn.
To keep up with cutting one-third of the grass at a time, we recommend mowing weekly.
We know that this is a hassle, especially during your busy summers. Homeowners often don’t want to mow frequently, so they’ll let the lawn grow long and then make drastic cuts all at once. But for the reasons discussed so far, this is not good for your lawn's health.
Even if you feel like you can live with your lawn a little taller, mowing every two weeks rather than weekly is simply not great for your lawn's overall health because it means cutting too much at once.
If this is a service that you’re struggling to handle on your own, why not hand it over to us? We’d love to help you keep up with proper lawn mowing!
Of course, you also want to make sure that you’re cutting your grass with a sharp blade. A dull blade can cause traumatic injury to your grass. You are literally ripping and shredding the grass without a nice, sharp blade. Without a clean cut, you leave your grass more prone to disease.
It’s also likely going to appear yellow and sickly as it struggles to heal.
But when was the last time that you sharpened your mower blade? Homeowners often say “never.” Even many professional services don't sharpen mower blades as often as they should. But at Kingstowne, we sharpen our blades daily, on every single mower.
If you mow your own lawn, you should sharpen the blade 2-3 times each year.
We know this is a lot to do, but it truly can be the difference between a healthy and thriving lawn and one that looks weak and struggling.
Lawn fertilization is an important service that provides your grass with the nutrients it needs to thrive. But fertilizing your Northern Virginia lawn in summer can quickly go awry as grass burn is a lot more likely in the heat, warns Grant.
Applying summer lawn fertilizer is one of those services best left to the pro, because the potential damage to your lawn simply isn't worth the risk.
The fertilization products a professional uses will also be higher quality and more effective than those homeowners typically purchase at the local hardware store. This will also mean getting better results for your investment.
Summer lawn weeds are a nemesis that can be difficult to escape. The hot, dry weather typically means your lawn is already stressed, and that is when opportunistic weeds take their chance and start spreading like crazy! Because of that, you might be wondering about lawn weed control in the summer.
Some common summer lawn weeds we deal with here in Northern Virginia include crabgrass, spotted spurge, nutsedge, and clover.
Here’s what Grant says you need to know about controlling weeds like these:
Another critical summer lawn maintenance task is keeping up with watering. Mother Nature might be supplying less water in the summer, so you might need to pull out the sprinkler or the hose. But summer watering can also get tricky, as there can be lawn disease to worry about.
Here are a few tips from Grant about watering your lawn in the summer:
Another part of summer lawn care is controlling lawn pests. Lawn insects can be a common culprit behind lawn problems that cause symptoms such as yellowing or browning grass.
In the summer, your lawn might already be struggling from issues like drought stress or mowing mishaps. This can be a time when lawn pests creep in and wreak havoc.
According to Grant, here are a few summer lawn pests to keep on your radar.
How do I keep my lawn healthy during summer?
Keeping your lawn healthy in the summer boils down to keeping up with important summer lawn care tasks like proper watering, mowing, and fertilization. It also means managing problems like disease and pests.
Should you fertilize your lawn in the summer?
Yes, but it’s very important that you’re paying attention to timing and application rates. Fertilizer burn is much more common when it’s hot and the lawn is stressed.
What weeds are most common in Northern Virginia lawns?
The most common summer lawn weeds include nutsedge, crabgrass, broadleaf plantain, clover, and spotted spurge.
How often should you mow during summer?
We recommend weekly mowing so that you aren’t making drastic cuts. You should always aim to cut no more than one-third of your grass blades at a time.
What height should grass be cut to during hot weather?
We prefer that homeowners cut their grass no shorter than 4 inches during the hot weather.
Why does my lawn look stressed during summer?
Summer is tough on lawns. Problems like drought stress, disease, and insects can all harm your lawn’s health. But one of the most common culprits is mowing the lawn too short.
Can improper mowing damage a lawn?
Yes, mowing the lawn too short can be very detrimental to your lawn’s health. It can also make it more susceptible to problems like disease, insects, and even weeds.
How do professionals control summer weeds?
Effective summer lawn weed control involves various solutions, including both pre- and post-emergent options. Pre-emergents are essential for controlling crabgrass, as it can be difficult (though not impossible) to control after germination has occurred.
Is a lawn care program worth it for long-term lawn health?
Yes, a lawn care program is worth it for long-term health. When you have a professional handling your lawn care, you can get the best results.
We know that summer lawn care can feel like a lot to handle. But when you make a wise choice by hiring a professional Northern Virginia lawn care company, you’ll have an expert on your side.
At Kingstowne Lawn & Landscape, one of the benefits of signing up for one of our lawn care packages is that we can take care of your lawn year-round. Instead of having to rely on guesswork for summer lawn fertilization or weed control, you can be confident that tasks like these are being performed exactly as they should.
We can even handle mowing the lawn in the summer.
In the end, that adds up to peace of mind that your lawn is getting what it needs not only in the summer, but throughout the year.
If you’d like to stop worrying about your lawn, request your quote, choose from 3 lawn care package options, and relax as you get the royal treatment.