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The Best Summer Lawn Care Tips for Boston-Area Homeowners

Posted by Patrick Lundgren on Mon, Jun 03, 2013 @ 04:20 PM

Boston summers are notoriously hot and muggy, which can make lawn care a dreaded and sweaty chore. If you're new to eastern Massachusetts or just need some good lawn care tips for our neck of the woods, we can help.

Sleep on It

If your grass goes brown in summer, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Grass has adapted to drought conditions and the summer heat by going dormant for a time. According to The Lawn Institute, turf grass can actually go dormant for up to four weeks without any issues.

Of course, there's a right and a wrong way to let the grass go dormant. It's essential to get the grass at the peak of its health before it goes dormant. Mowing techniques that help prepare the grass include mowing with the blades set high and mowing in the morning or evening to minimize stress. Keep the mower blades as sharp as possible so your mowing is efficient. Continue weeding the yard as normal, and lightly water if need be. Bring the yard out of dormancy by rehydrating the lawn.

Summer Lawns in Mass.

You might think that all grass is the same, but there are two distinct categories of grass that are significant. Bluegrass and rye are good for cool seasons, but stick to warm season grasses like centipede and Bermuda in summer. To make your grass more tolerant of summer, Today's Homeowner recommends you water in the morning and do a weekly deep watering. Wait until fall to wake up your lawn if it goes dormant.

If you use a leaf blower in fall, you can use it now to clear debris from your driveway and sidewalks. Husqvarna blowers in particular are especially useful—they can be converted to vacuum mulchers for easy extraction. 

Seeding and Fertilizing

Don't fertilize during the summer; save that for fall and spring. If you have bare patches, seed the area once and give it plenty of water (and time). LawnCare.org advises against seeding the area multiple times.

Insects and Diseases

When your grass is dormant, it is more susceptible to opportunistic insects looking to do some damage. Chinch bugs, mosquitoes, fire ants and fleas will make a move on your lawn. Keep an eye out for severe problems, but don't worry about minor infestations.

Check your lawn for fungal infections as well, especially if you're watering a lot. Do not apply fungicide or pesticides unless your lawn is going to completely wither and die without it; better yet, try natural pest control measures. You don't want to add a lot of chemicals to your lawn when it's laying dormant or trying to survive a Massachusetts summer.

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