We all look forward to summer. Vacations are our hard-won reward for weeks and months of hard work, deadlines, and responsibilities. While you and the family go on vacation, your lawn will be staying at home. It will need nourishment, water, and upkeep to maintain its beauty. You can ask your neighbor to keep an eye on it, but that’s not the same thing as being there to make sure that problems don’t ruin all the hard work that went into making it especially vibrant.
How to Have a Beautiful Lawn
Have fun on your vacation, but before you go:
Mow the Lawn: Mow the lawn before you leave. This will compensate for the time you will be away. However, if you mow it too short, you may expose the soil to the scorching sun and summer heat which will dry out the lawn and expose it to scalping. The height to which you mow your lawn should correspond with how long you will be away. If you know what kind of grass is planted around your house, you can find out how long it takes to grow from a lawn professional and take care of it according to the recommended maintenance. The general rule is to not cut more than one third of the grass height. For example, if the grass is three inches high, mow off no more than one inch of grass.
Adequately Water Your Lawn: Typically, a lawn needs about one and one half inches of water to remain lush. This amount of water will take about twenty minutes to half an hour depending on your irrigation and what kind of grass you have. You can condition your lawn to use less water by not watering as often but watering more deeply when you do. This helps grass roots to grow deeper into the soil to access water. Another alternative would be to install an automatic lawn irrigation system. The systems allows you to program the water frequency as you like it. Make sure the system works before you leave. Check to see if water is pooling in certain areas of the lawn, which could destroy plants and other greenery while you’re away.
Do Not Apply Fertilizer Before You Go: Applying fertilizer before you go may result in you coming home to a wild and unruly lawn. Wait until you come home.
Be Aware of the Weather Forecast: Knowing what the weather will be will help you with taking care of your lawn. If the forecast is rainy, adjust the sprinkler system to water less frequently. If the forecast is dry, adjust the system to water more frequently.
Does Your Lawn Have Pests? Inspect your lawn before you leave. If there are weeds, use an herbicide to get rid of them.
Do Not Leave Heavy Objects on the Lawn: When you leave heavy objects such as cars on your lawn, you compact the soil underneath. Any lawn compaction can cause the soil to dry out. Besides the soil compaction, any free-standing objects or structures on your lawn can become hazardous in an unexpected weather event.
Don’t Make Major Changes to Your Lawn Until You Return: You never know how any major changes such as re-sodding will impact your landscaping. Wait until you are there to respond to any adverse reactions your lawn may have.
Schultz Lawnscapes are the landscaping specialists. We offer landscape design, installation and maintenance services to commercial and residential customers. We also provide snow removal services during the winter. For additional information, please email sales@slilawns.com or call (804) 586-9787and follow us on Facebook.