7 Tips To Care For Your Yard In A Heat Wave

The hot, humid, dry days of summer are here and July and August watering restrictions aren't far off. You've worked hard to get your lawn and garden looking nice and you don't want to waste all that effort. Instead of risking a fine by violating the watering restrictions, here are some handy tips to keep your plants hydrated during an Ottawa heat wave.

Don't Mow

That's right. Sit in a chair, grab a book, lounge in the pool - whatever you like. Mowing the grass during a heat wave puts additional stress on the plants. Raise the deck of your mower to 2.5-3" and mow just often enough to keep the yard tidy.

Do Hand Pull Weeds

Weeds do love a good heat wave and will thrive in your garden and lawns. Continue to hand pull the weeds through the heat wave, but be kind to the gardener. Choose cooler times of day or when that part of yard is shaded to do the work.

Let The Lawn Go Dormant

If the heat wave is prolonged, you might choose to let the lawn go dormant. The grass will turn brown and conserve energy to survive the heat, but will green up again when the rain returns. With an in-ground sprinkler system, even watering once a week should be enough to prevent your lawn from going dormant. Ask our experts for a free estimate.

Install A Rain Barrel

A rain barrel positioned to catch the rain water off the roof of your house will collect a surprising amount of water. Water with a bucket by hand, or attach a drip irrigation system or soaker hose to the rain barrel with a spigot. This way you can freely water gardens or containers as long as the water lasts. This won't violate water restrictions. You will need to ensure that the barrel is covered to prevent mosquito breeding.

Inground Sprinkler System

Inground sprinkler systems equipped with intelligent weather sensors that account for rainfall and soil conditions and recalculate the amount of water your lawn needs. Inground sprinklers can be programmed to water your lawn during the early morning so that water isn't lost to the air during the hottest part of the day. This will save water in a heat wave. Inground sprinkler systems deliver water straight to the roots preventing evaporation and encouraging stronger root growth.

Drip Irrigation and Soaker Hose

Soaker hoses are garden hoses with holes down the length. Laid on the ground through a garden, soaker hoses delivering water directly to the soil keeping plant leaves dry and preventing evaporation.

Move Containers

In a heat wave, water containers by hand as much as you like. You could move the containers to a shadier part of the yard or deck until the sun relents a little, but don't forget to water them entirely. Depending on the placement of the containers, you can also install drip irrigation system for your containers. Containers need to be watered during the hottest part of the day to keep plants from drying out too much.

We are a full service Ottawa lawn care and irrigation company and can take care of all your lawn care needs. Give us a call or contact us today for your complimentary quote. Whether you're looking for help with your lawn, or want to install an irrigation system, we would love to chat with you.