Over the past 3-4 weeks, many parts of Ohio have begun to receive rain once again.  Although it is some what scattered, many areas have received about 1” of rain a week for the past few weeks.  This is great for helping your lawn recover from the extreme swings that we have had this year.

As your lawn begins to show signs of life again, it is important to keep a few ideas in mind.  Your lawn has been in a fragile state for the past 6-8 weeks.  Minimizing traffic for the next couple of weeks will improve the lawn’s overall health.

The Proper Lawn Care Helps

Fertilizing during cooler temperatures with adequate moisture will also encourage your lawn to green up faster.  As the plants break dormancy, they will be ready to use available nutrients.  This is where a good fertility program comes in handy. 

When your lawn begins to green up, take note of areas that are slower than others.  Often times these areas have weakened root systems or other issues, and may need extra TLC this fall.  Keep monitoring your lawn!

Tips to Help Your Further the Recovery 

As was discussed in an earlier post, keep your blades sharp.  You probably started the year off with a sharp blade.  You also started mowing earlier than normal.  Make sure your blades are sharp to minimize the stress on your lawn.

Hot Weather May Not Be Over... 

Finally, remember that we do live in Ohio.  There is a good chance that we will see more weather extremes in the upcoming month.  We are all hoping for 80 degree days, with about an inch of water a week, but it is possible that we will experience another stretch of hot, dry weather.

Guest Author: Andrew Muntz received his Master’s of Science in Turfgrass science and his Bachelors of Science in Landscape Horticulture at The Ohio State University, Columbus OH.