It’s been a beautiful summer in Calgary, and we hope you’ve been able to enjoy lots of fun activities in your yard. But the amount of sun (and storms) we’ve had – including hail – combined with foot traffic and pest activity can take a toll on your lawn. It’s easy to start ignoring your yard as the summer rolls on, but we think late summer lawn care is very important. A little attention will go a long way towards keeping your grass looking green and healthy for the rest of the season, and it will also give you a leg up come next spring.
Assess Your Grass
As we come by for your scheduled lawn care services we perform continuous assessments of your property, looking for evidence of trouble in specific areas. August is the perfect time to start spot-treating problem areas, as the growth of grass has slowed down quite a bit. We look for patches of grass that seem thin or pale compared to the rest of your lawn, yellow spots, and areas that are so unhealthy that they may need seeding or sodding. Lawn care is a continuous process, and your grass needs change as your landscaping grows and matures.
In August we always apply a second helping of fertilizer to replenish soil that may have had its nutrients depleted from run-off and use. In many cases, yellow patches of grass result from insufficient moisture or nutrition, or, of course, pet activity. A lack of nutrients or pH imbalances in the soil can cause dry, yellowed patches, and these areas of your lawn may also not be receiving enough water. Moisture could be evaporating before it can be absorbed. A second application of fertilizer will kick-start growth and help fill in your lawn so that it is stronger, healthier, and better able to utilize moisture.
More Tips for Healthy Yards
Some other common lawn issues that arise in late summer that we are always on the lookout for include:
- Pests wreaking havoc. Seasonal pests can often be kept in check with routine lawn care for the first couple months of the growing season, but by late summer they often start to take over if they’re present in large numbers. We are well aware of the most common types of pests that appear in Calgary, and know how to best handle them in a way that is safe and natural.
- Weak and spindly perennials and shrubs are signs that they are not getting enough sun, water, or both. Poor soil conditions could be another problem. Late summer is a good time to transfer plants and shrubs to different areas of your yard where they may have a better chance to thrive. There is enough time to establish themselves before the fall and perhaps even move them again if they don’t seem to “take.”
- Accumulations of thatch. A thick layer of thatch or “hay” prevents both sun and water from getting to the roots of your grass. A good raking will allow air and sunshine to penetrate the blades and roots again, revitalizing your lawn in time for the end of summer.
- Weeds. An August fertilization will help hold weeds at bay by choking them out with healthy grass. If you have an unusually large amount of weeds we can also spot treat them for you.
Get a Jump on Fall
Late summer is the best time to plan ahead for your autumn lawn care needs. We perform the following lawn maintenance tasks in the fall:
- Spot planting of new seed in thin areas
- Aeration and fertilization
- Weed control
- Raking leaves
You should also plan to keep watering and mowing your lawn and trees as late into the fall season as possible, as this will help keep your grass strong during the long winter.
Late Summer Lawn Care Calgary: Trust the Hardworking Experts at Mirage Landscaping
Mirage Landscaping is a family-owned company that specializes in residential and commercial landscaping, property maintenance and outdoor construction services. For three generations, we’ve taken great pride in providing Calgarians with top-notch professionalism and affordable prices. Visit our gallery to see samples of our past work, or contact us to get a custom project quote. You’ll be surprised how little quality work can cost!
