Our beautiful warm climate can be tough on your lawn, if it is not properly maintained.

Here are some great tips to keep it looking tip top all summer:

Watering - Water is, of course, absolutely essential to keep your lawn looking green and lush. Therefore proper irrigation is vital and, if you have a sprinkler system, be sure to check that it is operating optimally. Are there any leaks? and do the sprinkler heads point where they should? Late night or very early morning is the best time to schedule watering, before it quickly evaporates in the heat. Be mindful, however, that over-watering is just as bad as too little water. Established lawns will require watering two to three times per week, while new lawns require watering once during every 24 hour cycle. If you're concerned about water conservation, here's a great link to help save water and more efficiently maintain your lawn.

Mowing - Mowing should be carried out every few days, but be sure to remove less than a third of the total grass height (some varieties of grass may need an even higher cut). Doing this will keep the lawn looking healthy and provide shading that helps to prevent the establishment of weeds.

Grass Clippings - A grass collector on your mower actually works against your lawn's health, so take it off. Grass clippings release nutrients back into the soil as they rapidly decompose on the lawn.

Longer Term Solutions - Apply appropriate fertilizer in spring and fall. Lawns should also be aerated once every two to three years, to prevent grass getting compacted by foot traffic. This helps to prevent bare patches as water has a harder time penetrating compacted soil.