Groom Your Lawn for Summer Entertaining
(ARA) -The air is warm, the days are long, and the grass is green. There's nothing better than sharing a barbeque with a few friends in your own backyard. So go ahead, fire up the grill, because taking care of your lawn is just as easy as planning that barbeque.
Use the tips below to keep your lawn looking like the perfect barbeque setting throughout the summer.
Clean up. Getting ready for a barbeque starts long before the guests arrive. So start sprucing up your lawn a few weeks ahead of time.
- Examine your lawn for signs of disease and insects and treat if necessary.
- If you have weeds, use a grass catcher to collect clippings and weed seeds - then apply a post-emergence broadleaf herbicide.
Check your equipment. It would be difficult to have a barbeque if you couldn't get the grill going. Safe and functional equipment is essential. Lawn mowers require regular maintenance on at least an annual basis; so follow these maintenance tips:
- Refer to your operator's manual for a complete list. Some maintenance tasks include changing the oil, replacing the spark plug and checking the air filtration system.
- Keep mower blades sharp and balanced. Dull and unbalanced mower blades produce a ragged cut, causing grass to yellow and creating an entryway for disease.
- If you find yourself too busy with party prep to do your own mower maintenance, consider having a professional equipment dealer take care of it for you. John Deere even offers a Ready To Mow service that comes to your home and maintains your mower on the spot.
Prepare the food. Properly prepared food is the key to any summer barbeque. Try these preparation tasks and feeding tips for your lawn:
- Mow for hot weather. Raise your mower deck and cut at the maximum height to enhance stress tolerance. For the remainder of the season, cut only the top one-third of the grass plant during each mowing.
- Feed the lawn. Just like your guests, your lawn needs food too! A lawn should receive food a month after it starts growing and during any growth spurts. You can use fertilizer to perk up your lawn as long as it has enough water.
- Manage lawn growth. Water encourages growth, but a growing lawn can become like a visiting houseguest, eating more food and requiring you to keep more food on hand. However, if your lawn is dormant because of a drought, there’s no need to feed it.
Refreshments. During warm summer months, it's important to stay well-hydrated.
- John Deere recommends watering your lawn infrequently, but deeply, to encourage a strong, deep root system. Most lawns need about an inch of water per week.
- Watch for dehydration. Some signs include curling grass blades and a bluish-green color. Another sign is footprinting -- if you can see your footprints in the grass, your grass is thirsty.
Finishing touches. Polish the grill, sweep off the deck, and add a little garnish to the dinner plates.
- Once your lawn is healthy, green and even, use an edger, string trimmer and blower to give it that professional look.
And last but not least, who to invite? Everyone of course. With a few simple steps, you'll have a lush green lawn perfect for any outdoor entertaining.
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