If you want to keep your lawn looking pristine this summer, Mike Ritchie of Ritchie Feed & Seed has some guidance for you.
Ritchie joined CTV’s Your Morning Ottawa on Wednesday to share a few tips lawn owners can use to keep their lawn healthy through this summer.
Keep it hydrated
Ritchie says proper hydration becomes all the more crucial as the hot summer months approach.
“When it’s not raining, when you get into the hot months of July and August especially, or when you’re planting new seed or over seeding, you definitely want to keep it hydrated,” Ritchie said. “Grass needs water.”
In general, Ritchie says grass should be watered every two to three days. If there’s no rain on the forecast, Ritchie recommends giving the grass a “good soaking” in the morning.
“A lot of people try to do it various times during the day for little spurts, but we usually find that having a good half an hour soak early morning, where it can soak it in before it gets hot, is a little bit better,” he said.
Keeping your lawn hydrated will also help to keep weeds at bay, as Ritchie says they tend to move in when grass is dry.
Beware of pests
Ritchie says lawns may already be seeing some grub damage at this time of year.
According to Ritchie, white grubs that turn into Japanese beetles are the main culprits in the spring and fall, while chinch bugs typically come out in June when grass is already “hot and stressed.”
“The grubs eat the roots, so they take the roots. So, sometimes you won’t see the damage until it gets really hot and dry,” he said.
“The chinch bugs are kind of right at the root level, and they take the nutrients out of the grass.”
He recommends using natural options like nematodes or Scotts Grub B Gone, as both will eliminate pests without injuring any beneficial bugs.
Keep it long
While many people are tempted to keep their lawn nice and short, Ritchie says keeping it longer can be beneficial, especially through the warmer days.
“When you keep it a little bit higher, it dries out a little bit less. A lot of people like keeping it short for that kind of premium look, which is good, but if you do that, you do need to water more, and it will dry up quicker in the hotter months,” he said.
Ritchie says lawn owners can get away with keeping it short in the spring but recommends raising the lawnmower up higher in July and August.
Keep it fed
Ritchie recommends feeding your grass with fertilizer four times a year: in April, May, September and October.
“You don’t really want to give it much in July and August, because grass usually goes dormant and doesn’t take in a whole lot of nutrients,” he said. “So, just focus on our watering then, in those months.”