Summer brings the best time for most Australians keen on getting the best out of their backyard, with a variety of options as between getting a feel of the soft green grass carpet between the toes to some outdoor cricket, the summer days have it all.  To enjoy that lush green looks, watering consistently and watering for long is the way to go. But, consistent watering does not mean watering every day. A healthier option is watering once a week with a decent soak. This way, water can penetrate well below the surface and help the roots going deep in search of moisture. This process will also ensure that you fight off evaporation that is significant during summer. Remember that every day watering is not among the best lawn care practices. On that note, here are some useful tips from Jim's Mowing Mornington Peninsula that will help you keep your lawn looking at its best during the forthcoming summer.

When Watering Every Day May Be Necessary

Watering your lawn every day is not a healthy practice, but exceptions are always there. For instance, if your lawn is newly seeded, watering every day becomes essential so that the seeds get enough dampness. In this situation, watering for about 10 minutes every day is helpful. But, with a well grown lawn, you can simply look for slight discoloration of the lawn leaf or signs of wilting. In other words, you can look out for signs that the lawn is ready to have a drink. The frequency of these signs will obviously vary from one season to the other.

Watering Early

Early hours of the morning is the best time of the day for watering your lawn. This is the time when the temperature is still affable and evaporation is minimal. Another advantage of early morning watering is that you help the photosynthesis process thereby strengthening the grass. But, when watering is done during the night (many of us do that), evaporation loss may be minimal, but the gains from photosynthesis would be absent. Night watering can also promote water logging and consequent onset of diseases.

Water Run-Off

When the soil is saturated or the watering is heavy, the water begins trickling off the lawn slowly into the gutter or the pathway. Slow and steady watering can arrest this problem and as soon as you notice run-off, you can move the sprinkler or other watering mechanism to another spot so that the wet surface gets adequate time to absorb the water into the soil.

Use the Water Wisely

There are pebbled and concrete areas in the garden and they don’t gain much from a soak. If you have an adjustable sprinkler you can ensure that water is directed to areas where it is needed and that the concrete/pebbled areas remain dry for your use. Further, the lawn will also receive even watering.

Avoid a Hot Shower For the Grass

Many of us tend to forget this. The water hose is lying out there in the hot sun. Therefore, when you start watering the lawn, the first few minutes will pump out incredibly hot water on to the grass and this can lead to brown patches. You can avoid this by directing the water away from the lawn for the first minutes so that the plants and lawn get the luxury of cool water after taking all the scorching heat from the sun.

Adaptability

Automatic sprinklers are indeed a blessing for gardeners anywhere (more so, for the lazy lot). But, considering the summer storms that are unique for Australia and notoriously heavy, a good rain plus heavy sprinkling can drown your lawn. Therefore it is a good idea to set some kind of a reminder to consider the weather forecast and shut off your sprinkler when the weatherman has issued warnings for the upcoming days.

Train the Lawn To Grow Strong

Your lawn grass should be trained to grow strong. For this, the roots should run deep into the soil so that it has greater access to moisture by reaching where the soil holds water. The routine you follow for watering will significantly impact the way the roots develop. By planning deep watering at regular intervals, as opposed to shallow watering every day, you can help the roots go deeper and that is a significant measure of enhancing drought tolerance.

Professional Lawn Care Services

For some people, following the above lawn care tips may be a challenge for varying reasons. In such situations it is always desirable to engage the services of a professional lawn care service provider.

Professional lawn care service providers bring a wealth of experience and focused knowledge on maintaining your lawn at its optimal best. Some of the major areas where professional services come in handy include:-

Weeds

As with any other vegetation, weeds play spoil sport with your lawn. Most of us may not have the necessary know how to carry out a perfect de-weeding and we will also lack the necessary tooling. Therefore, de-weeding is one of the many areas where you can entrust the job safely to a professional lawn care service provider.

Soil Condition and Choice of Grass

Some lawns may have more of shady and dry areas. How do you choose the right kind of grass that is suitable for the particular terrain? Professionals can do a soil test and determine the specific variety that is best suited for your lawn.

Fertilizer

Applying fertilizer to your lawn is another area where you are better off with professional services. Understandably, summer is not the best season to apply fertilizer for your lawn. Further it is important to be regular with the fertilizer, irrespective of whether you choose organic, chemical or liquid fertilizer. Similarly, some of you may notice that the soil does not respond to the fertilizer.  This situation warrants a pH testing for the soil to determine nutrient deficiency and or acidic character. A professional lawn service provider can quickly assess the situation and suggest necessary remedies for your lawn.