7 Tips to Prepare Your Landscape for Summer

Shakespeare said, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”  Summer brings emerald green grass and flowers bursting with vibrant color as bees and butterflies collect their nectar.   It is a time of utter beauty and is a high compliment indeed.  But all of that beauty doesn’t come without work, and with a little preparation, your landscape can be a showstopper all summer long.

  1. Control weeds. In late spring to early summer, apply a liquid pre-emergent herbicide and broadleaf weed control to keep ugly weeds from popping up.  Another application of liquid broadleaf weed control should be applied mid to late summer.  Weeds are relentless but can be prevented from growing, or even germinating in the first place, with the proper herbicides and other preventatives like mulching, edging, and strategic planting.
  2. Control pests.  If insects are not controlled, they can easily overtake your beautifully manicured landscape and wreak havoc.  Insecticides should be applied late enough in the spring so that insects have begun their life cycles but before the heat of summer.  Heat and sun can cause pesticides to kill plants so they should not be applied when temps are more than 90°F.
  3. Apply mulch.  If you have not yet applied your mulch, do so before the summer months.  Besides freshening your landscape, preventing weeds, and protecting against soil erosion, mulch insulates plant roots from the harsh heat, and it also helps to keep water from evaporating as quickly so there’s more to quench your thirsty plants.
  4. Apply fertilizer.  To ensure your lawn and plants are adequately nourished, fertilizer should be applied twice during the summer months. A 65% slow-release granular fertilizer and spot weed control should be applied in early to late summer and again in later summer to early fall.
  5. Redo edging around beds and trees.  Edging gives a crisp, clean look to your professional landscaping, but it is also has several important functions.  It provides a barrier for roots, so invasive plants stay out and so your turf doesn’t creep into your plant beds.  Turf and plants can steal water and nutrients from trees, so installing edging rings around them keeps out the competition, as well as providing a boundary for lawnmowers or weed trimmers so they don’t get too close to their roots.  Edging also helps to keep mulch in place which helps keep moisture in the soil to benefit your trees and your plant beds.
  6. Prune shrubs.  Pruning should be done on shrubs before hot summer months arrive and then again in the fall.  Dead or dying branches attract insects and promote disease and should be removed before new growth begins.
  7. Adjust your watering schedules.  As the temperature rises, so does your lawn’s need for water.  They require more water in the summertime to prevent them from drying out and withering.  Depending on the type of plants you have, it may be necessary to increase their watering frequency as well as summer approaches.

Bonus tip:  

Call Bluegrass Landscaping and Maintenance.  We’re experts at creating a stunning commercial landscape for your company as well as maintaining it throughout the year.  With each coming season, we’ll prepare your landscape with the proper nutrients and preventatives; clean, cut, plant, and trim it, and keep it looking beautiful.  Call Bluegrass Landscaping and Maintenance today at (314) 770-2828 today.  Your dazzling landscape awaits!