Mar 8, 2023 | Florida Lawn Care
South Florida Lawn Care: Protection From Overwatering
We all know that lawns need water to survive, and rainstorms can often help us when our grass needs it the most. We know South Florida weather can bring plenty of rainstorms, sometimes too much. Unfortunately, if there’s been an excessive amount of rain, it can cause severe damage to our turf, making lawn care during this time essential. Check out the top 3 issues excessive watering or rainstorms can do to our lawn and how you can fix it.
Fungi Issues
Lawn fungus can cause our lawn to go from lush green to brown. Fungus development is common during the rainy summer months, especially if it’s paired with warmer temperatures. Once a fungal disease emerges, it can be difficult to get rid of it. Common fungus signs include discoloring patches, discolored, frayed, or distorted grass blades, spots on grass blades, or slimy or greasy-looking grass.
Loss of Nutrients
When there is excessive rainfall or overwatering that takes place, it can wash away any nutrients that the lawn could have absorbed. Likewise, if nutrients are washed away, they cannot absorb in the root system, causing the grass to become weak, dull, and disease-ridden. While your grass is losing nutrients, the excess water allows weeds to thrive, causing further lawn issues.
Lawn Pests
Wet weather can bring an influx of pests, especially if a lawn has not been well-maintained or treated for pests. Lawn pests, like grubs, thrive in rainy conditions, and once they infest it can be difficult to control and eliminate them. If your lawn has already seen a pest infestation, you will often notice discoloration from them chewing on grass roots.
Fixing Lawn Damage
There are simple, easy ways that every homeowner can ensure their lawn stays healthy and lush green after a couple of rainstorms. Check out our lawn care tips:
- Don’t mow while your lawn is wet; wait until your grass has dried out to avoid compaction and ruts.
- Try to keep off wet grass as much as possible; walking on it can cause damage to grass blades.
- Consider aerating your lawn if it floods, either manually or with a power aerator.
- After a flood, remove any silt, debris, or moss by raking it or washing it away with a hose.
- Replenish lawn nutrients by fertilizing your lawn, even after it has recovered.
- Reach out to your local South Florida lawn care company which will provide you with a lawn care analysis and a lawn maintenance plan to avoid damage after rainstorms.
Aug 11, 2022 | Florida Lawn Care
Miami Gardens Lawn Care: Protecting After The Rain
South Florida’s summers are known for their rainy, unpredictable weather. On average, the Miami Gardens area receives 60 inches of precipitation from May to September, usually from random storms that only last a few minutes. The impact humidity can have on grass causes erratic growth and unseen harm, making summer lawn care a demanding chore. Here are some lawn care tips to keep your yard looking great after big rainstorms.
Pick Up After a Storm
Heavy rain can lead to debris accumulating throughout the property. Areas of low elevation collect waste that can prevent sunlight from reaching the roots, which can ultimately harm the grass. Leaves, fallen branches, forgotten produce from fruit trees, and other random items will build up if not properly addressed.
How Often Should I Mow?
The simple answer to this is only when it’s dry enough. Cutting wet grass is terrible for lawns. The weight of the mower can affect the oxygen pockets in the soil, which are necessary for roots to flourish. Mowing wet grass can also strain future growth, as the blades can carve small trenches into the soil, causing it to fill up with water and overhydrate.
Stay Off the Grass
Stepping on wet grass can also affect the health of your lawn. If the lawn is too wet when you step on it, it can cause soil compaction. Soil compaction will remove nutrients the lawn needs while leaving behind other nutrients that can over-indulge roots and cause turf harm.
If you believe your lawn lacks the nutrients needed, reach out to your local Miami Gardens lawn care company to receive an inspection and lawn care plan that is right for your property.
Apr 6, 2022 | Lawn Care
With springtime in full bloom, that usually means more rain is coming. Although your grass needs water to stay healthy, too much can be a disadvantage. Heavy rain can cause your grass to become waterlogged and flooded. It can also cause erosion of the soil. Every homeowner should be extra cautious when caring for their lawn after heavy rain, so it’s not damaged further. Here are some lawn care tips to follow if heavy rain is on the way.
Don’t Mow When Wet
Mowing a lawn when wet can cause compactions and create ruts in the soft ground. It’s best to wait until the grass is completely dry before mowing after a rainstorm. It’s also best practice to never use an electric mower on wet or even damp lawns.
Once your lawn is completely dry and ready to be mowed, ensure that you use the suggested cut height for your type of grass on your mower blades to keep the ground shaded enough from the sun.
Keep Off and Take Notes
When the weather is nice out, most of us want to enjoy the backyard. Unfortunately, after a rainstorm it’s best to stay off the grass until completely dry. Stepping on the grass too soon after rain can damage the blades and hinder the growth of your lawn.
The most suitable time to inspect your lawn for standing water is when you can safely walk on it without leaving footprints behind. This is an effective way to discover if leveling needs to be done or if drainage needs to be improved.
Aeration Time
After a rainstorm is the perfect time to aerate your lawn because the soil is soft enough to penetrate with either a garden fork or a power aerator. Before using a power aerator, it’s best practice to know how to dry the type of turf that’s on your property. Aeration is beneficial for your lawn in many ways, including improved fertilizer uptake, resiliency, and reduced soil compaction.
Clean Up Silt and Watch Out for Disease Patches
A rainstorm is the perfect opportunity to create silt buildup and any diseases. Both are bad for the health of your grass and need to be removed as soon as possible. The buildup of silt can make it difficult for the grass to breathe, creating a lack of beneficial sunlight.
Depending on the type of turf you have, there are many lawn diseases that you could experience, like yellow to brown patches, leaf lesions, or fungal disease. Taking care of your lawn will help prevent these diseases from emerging, but sometimes it’s too much to handle without professional care.
If you have followed these tips to protect your grass after a rainstorm, but are still seeing problems, reach out to your local lawn care company. They will be able to help with any further issues by coming up with a personalized care plan for your lawn.
