Sizzling July and August temperatures can be hard on lawns and gardens — it's a fact.
Routine maintenance and thoughtful preparation now will help your landscaping look its best through the dog days of summer and beyond.
Some tips:
* Fertilize your lawn. Choose a fertilizer that's formulated for summer feeding and appropriate for your region and soil content. If you fertilized in the spring, wait to fertilize again until about two months have passed.
* Mow regularly — but conservatively. During the growing season, mow about once a week to encourage growth and keep your lawn looking lush, and make sure to adjust your mower height to leave the grass a little taller. This reduces water evaporation from the soil and discourages weed growth.
* Clean up after Fido. Regularly flush the areas where your dog urinates with water, and pick up droppings regularly — the acid content from your dog's high-protein diet can kill your grass.
* Water grass infrequently and deeply, and do it early in the morning or in the evening. Most lawns need about an inch or an inch and a half of water each week. Gardens should also be watered slowly and deeply in the morning. Avoid watering when the sun is directly overhead.
* Use light-colored mulch. This reflects sunlight to keep the surface of the soil cooler, while darker mulch can absorb heat.
* Block the sun with taller shade-providing plants and shrubs. Tall ornamental grasses and shrubs can shield smaller plants from the sun and look great with your landscaping.
* Try shade cloth.; If taller plants aren't an option where you are, shade cloth can offer some protection — make sure to position it loosely over plants without totally enclosing or crushing them.
