Hot Tips to Keep Your Lawn & Garden Healthy in a Heatwave

Here’s how to keep grass green and plants growing, even during the hottest days of the year.

 

Leave it long: Grass can better retain water and tolerate extreme heat when you skip the short mowing jobs — longer blades mean deeper roots. To keep your lawn healthier in a heatwave, leave it around four inches high and never cut off more than a third of the length at a time.

 

Water wisely: While it’s important to keep plants from becoming dehydrated in the summer, you also don’t want to overwater them. Water plants when the soil begins to dry out — usually every couple days — and stick to watering in the early morning to avoid evaporation. Similarly, grass does best with about two early-morning waterings per week for a total of 1-1.5 inches.

 

Add Hydro Holder: Especially when water is in short supply during dry summer months, a wetting agent like Hydro Holder can keep moisture suspended in soil, maximize water penetration, and improve drainage for healthy, nourished soil that leads to a lush lawn.

 

Nourish without the burnout: While some formulas are too harsh for summer conditions, a product that provides nutrients without the risk of burnout, such as Drought Defender, can help lawns survive and thrive.

 

Make use of mulch: Mulch doesn’t just make your landscaping look good. It can also keep soil cool, help it retain moisture, improve plant drainage, and protect roots from harsh sunlight during the dog days of summer.

 

Pick the right pots: Rather than dark plastic which can absorb heat, choose light-colored pots made of terracotta or glazed ceramic to keep potted plants cool.

 

Position your plants: Plant in-ground plants and place potted plants in spots where they won’t get constant direct sunlight in the summer.

 

Share the shade: Whether it’s a tree, pergola, or umbrella, anything that creates shade can help shield plant life from scorching beneath the sun’s rays.

 

Weed weekly: Pesky weeds don’t just look bad. They also compete with plants for limited nutrients and water. Pluck them from your planters and garden beds weekly to keep them from thriving over your plants.