Can Your Turf Handle Extreme Heat? Lawn Care Genoa, IL Experts’ Advice

In the current global warming environment, extreme heat is and sudden heat waves are not uncommon. As a responsible homeowner, you surely know how to care for your lawn and turf in summer – but how do you handle extreme weather conditions? Draught and extended periods of heat can lead to catastrophic lawn damages and frequent watering is, unfortunately, not enough to keep the turf sparkling green, resilient and healthy. Our lawn care Genoa, IL experts, together with their landscaping Roscoe, IL colleagues are here today to share a few tips and pieces of advice on how to deal with extreme heat when it comes to lawn maintenance.

1. Watering the Lawn

Contrary to popular belief, daily watering is not enough to prevent your lawn to be burnt to the ground during extreme draught days. However, there are a few things you can do to control the damages.

• Don’t feel compelled to water the lawn even after a rainfall or in between extreme heat days. Overwatering is dangerous for the microorganisms living in the soil and their physiology. Moreover, too much water interferes with the soil’s natural drainage process and it suffocates the plants’ roots, depriving them of oxygen. Also, overwatering can lead to the formation of soil clay and clumps and it can favor the germination of weeds or the spread of moist-loving diseases and fungi.
• Go for a deep watering smart irrigation system instead of superficially watering the lawn with a hose. Ask your lawn care Genoa, IL specialists to advise you on deep watering principles and help you install a proper landscape irrigation system. You can save water and money in the process without stressing the soil and the turf.

2. Mowing the Lawn

Before anything else, remember that the same lawn mowing rules apply: respect your grasses’ recommended mowing height and never mow the lawn too short. Also, the 1-3 rule is mandatory: don’t mow more than 1/3 of the grasses’ height during one mowing session.

• Keep your lawn mower blades higher during extreme heat waves if you really have to mow – longer turf blades allow the turf roots to preserve their energy for healthy growing, also protecting the soil from the heat.
• If it is extremely hot outside refrain from mowing. The grasses are already under heavy stress and it doesn’t need you to stress it more. On the other hand, you are more than allowed to mow the lawn after a proper irrigation or a rainfall to let the grasses recover. However, don’t mow the lawn the same day you watered or it rained – such a mistake can lead to serious clumping.

3. Maintaining the Lawn

• Don’t fertilize, aerate, and dethatch, plant new flowers and so on during extreme heat days. Cultivation and fertilization clash against the heat, leading to incommensurable damaged of the lawn and soil.

Ask your lawn care Genoa, IL specialists about turning the grass clippings into mulch and help you keep your lawn and turf safe from extreme heat and weather conditions. There are other activities you can employ to keep your turf green and healthy and expert advice is mandatory.