What Are the Best Summer Lawn Maintenance Tips for Maryland?
Clay Creek wants to share exciting lawn maintenance tips on beating the summer heat in Westminster, New Market, and Owings Mills, Maryland.
Anyone who lives in Maryland knows that those summer days get scorching hot. Between the humidity and high temperatures, it’s no wonder that your yard can become a challenging job to keep it looking healthy. That’s where our experienced team can provide you with some great tips on how to beat the summer heat and give your home the perfect curb appeal throughout every season.
What type of grass works best in Maryland?
Let’s start with the foundation of any beautiful yard, and that’s having a lush green lawn. The common grass used in most Maryland yards is Kentucky bluegrass, fine fescue, ryegrass, and tall fescue. The grass that will get you the best results during those hot summer days is the Tall Fescue, a turfgrass tolerant of drought and shade, making it easier to maintain. Although most homeowners like Kentucky bluegrass because of its deep green color, it has disadvantages because it is prone to thatching and diseases. Whichever you decide to choose, always keep in mind that proper lawn care is the key to having a spectacular yard.
How often do I need to water?
During the hot summer months, you want to find ways to help your yard flourish, and what better way than to water it regularly. Did you know that your lawn will stay looking lush and green with just an inch of water a week? A great way to see if your lawn is getting enough water is when you step on the grass, your footprint should bounce back. You also don’t want to water frequently for a short period as it will create shallow roots. Having an irrigation system is key to ensuring your yard gets the right amount of water needed to flourish. You want to combine both a sprinkler system and a drip irrigation system to save you both time and cost on maintaining your yard. The sprinkler system can cover a larger area like your lawn, whereas the drip system will get to the base of your trees and plants helping to create a stronger root system.
What is the best way to mow your grass in the summer heat?
Never cut your grass too short, especially during those hot days. It can dry out your grass and cause damage. You want to leave it longer, so it retains water, helps create a stronger root system, and holds up to different weather conditions. When you keep it longer, it also allows the grass to have some protection against weeds, diseases, and insects. Try to keep the grass height between 2 ½ to 3 inches and never mow the grass during those afternoon hours when the sun is at its hottest. Usually, cut your grass approximately every four days unless you have extreme heat, as mowing will put more stress on the growth of your lawn.
What are the advantages of native plants?
If you want to keep your yard looking fabulous all summer long, you want to choose native plants as they have the greatest chance of withstanding the summer heat. They are also low maintenance and require less water which saves you both time and money. When choosing native plants, you want to follow Maryland’s hardiness zone, 5b to 8a. So, here are a few ideas to get you started this summer. Let’s start with our state flower, the Black-Eyed Susan that attracts beautiful butterflies while it bursts with vibrant yellow blooms from the middle of summer until fall. Although they can be annual or perennial, we suggest planting once and reaping the benefits year after year like all native perennial plants are known to do. Hydrangeas are one of the best shrubs you can add to your yard. They come in various colors, and each year they come back bigger and stronger than ever. It’s best to plant in an area that gets the morning sun and then has shade in the afternoon. If you plant a Panicle hydrangea, you can prune it so that it turns into a tree with a great accent of all the Black-Eyed Susans growing around it.
How to control summertime pests?
Along with summer bringing those not-so-welcomed mosquitoes is a parade of other unwanted pests to your yard. Whether it’s sod webworms, chinch bugs, or Spotted lanternflies, they need to be eliminated from your yard before they cause any damage. One of the worst pests in Maryland is the sod webworm. The way they spread in your lawn is that a tiny moth lays their eggs, which turns into webworms that will feed on the blades of grass, which cause patches of damaged grass. If that isn’t enough to want to have a professional handle your pest control, let’s add the possibility of having Chinch bugs. Chinch bugs cause your lawn to get dried out and look like it’s dying. These bugs thrive on the thatch in your lawn. They cut off the water in your lawn, which eventually creates areas to look like they are dying off. No matter what pests you have, always be sure to stay ahead of controlling them, so they don’t spread throughout your yard.
Want another important tip?
While our company focuses more on landscaping and hardscaping work to raise your property value, a great lawn helps with those efforts too! Let our reliable team provide you with superior landscaping and hardscaping installation services and take the guesswork out of how to upgrade your property! We know how important it is for you to have quality time with your family and friends, especially during those summer months, so why not create a beautiful space to make memories right from home? Whether it’s landscaping design, maintenance, installation, lighting, hardscaping, lawn care, seasonal cleanups, land grading, or tree services, we are ready to enhance your home and give you spectacular curb appeal.