The weather is starting to heat up now that summer is near in Albuquerque. We all know how hot it can get in Albuquerque in the summer, with July generally being the hottest month. Keeping your lawn looking good during the late spring and summer months can be a challenge, but with some simple tips, you can beat the heat on your landscaping. This is especially important if you plan to sell your home in Albuquerque.
Here are five tasks to help your yard:
Mow High
Longer grass provides more shade for the ground, which helps your lawn retain precious water. It also saves time since you have to mow it less.
Raise your mower blade in the warmer months. Taller grass is more drought-tolerant, grows deeper roots, and helps shade the earth to prevent weed seeds from germinating.
And leave the clippings: they’ll help keep grass cool and fed. Plus you’ll save money by not buying commercial fertilizers.
Mow regularly to prevent cutting more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time. This keeps your grass healthier and prevents the clippings from smothering the grass. Keep mower blades sharp. Make sure your mower is cutting your grass, not tearing it, to minimize stress during hot temperatures.
Remove Damaged Branches
Make sure that you don’t have any diseased or dead branches that can break off during a summer storm and damage your home.
Top Off Mulch
A little extra mulch around trees and shrubs will keep them healthy and lush by helping roots retain moisture during hot summer days. It’s worth the extra effort because your trees add value to your home while cutting cooling costs.
Water Wisely
Lawns need about an inch of water and more if the heat is severe. Water deeply and less frequently to encourage drought-tolerant roots. And water early in the day to reduce evaporation.
Either water your lawn regularly and deeply, or don’t water at all. Don’t let your lawn go brown and dormant, then try to “water it back to life.” If your lawn goes dormant in summer, it should stay that way until fall. Don’t worry, it should recover once the weather changes.
Don’t Over Fertilize
If your lawn is looking rough in the warmer months, resist the urge to fertilize. In fact, it’s best to stop fertilizing about 30 days before the weather gets too warm here in Albuquerque. Applying extra fertilizer in the heat of summer can burn your lawn and create a flush of tender growth that will struggle in the hot summer weather. Never fertilize dormant lawns. Wait until they green up in the fall.
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