Watering Tips For August

August typically brings with it another month of hot, dry, humid, summer days. Should your irrigation strategy change and how can you keep your lawn and gardens vibrant without wasting water? Nutri-Lawn Ottawa Irrigation experts share some of our best watering tips for your lawn and garden in hot summer weather.

Water Deep

We keep saying this because it seems counter-intuitive. When it's hot you think you need to water more often. That's not true. Watering more often will not help your lawn survive these hot temperatures. Consistent deep watering will help. Instead of watering more frequently, let the water run longer so it penetrates deeper into the soil and reaches the roots. Deep rooted plants are better able to withstand the heat and humidity of August.

Some vegetable plants also need consistent moisture. Tomatoes, for instance, will split if they undergo a dry spell and then receive a splash of water.

Overseeding

In mid to late August, many homeowners like to overseed their lawn. Take care to choose your grass seed wisely. If your lawn has a problem with a specific kind of pest or disease, you may choose to overseed with a more resistant variety. Additional water will be needed for new seeds to sprout so keep that in mind. When sprouting, seeds need to be consistently moist for the best start possible.

Aeration

Late August or early September is a great time to aerate your lawn and this treatment is especially recommended if your lawn has drainage issues. This will help your lawn absorb and retain water more efficiently so you'll have to water less to get the same result. You'll need to give your lawn four weeks or so of good growing weather to recover from this treatment before the cool winter weather hits.

Fertilizer

Fall is an optimal time to fertilize, but keep an eye on the weather in the summer because the hot weather can intensify the effects of fertilizer and burn your lawn. Always water well or fertilize when you're expecting a good rainfall. Fertigation (adding liquid fertilizer to an irrigation system) is a great option for those who have an irrigation system in place to avoid this problem.

Splitting, Transplanting, and New Plants

Once flowering plants have finished blooming it's safe to split or transplant them. Watering them well in the new location is important as you want the roots to have a good start before the winter weather hits. Now is a great time to go out and label the plants while they are in bloom so you don't have remember colours and so on.

Trees and shrubs that were planted this season or even last season will require additional moisture to survive these hot spells.

Mow Wisely

Raise your lawn mower to its highest setting. Hot weather is stressful on your lawn so leaving the grass a little longer means the plant can retain more moisture and shield the soil better. Leaving the short grass clippings on the lawn as fertilizer also helps retain moisture in the soil.

Create the lawn you'll love to sink your toes into and a garden that blooms all season with expert help from the team at Nutri-Lawn Ottawa. 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.