July 10th

By Mutt Mulligan

Lawn care tips for wet weather

Many areas of the country are experiencing wet weather, making lawn care difficult. When there’s too much water, oxygen is forced out of the soil and the roots die. Here are some wet weather lawn care tips from TurfMutt.

Lawn care tips for saturated soils

• Allow the soil to dry. Walking on wet soils can compact it, leading to a bumpy lawn and promoting weed growth. Wait until the wet soil dries out before walking on it or mowing it.
• Mow when you can. Repeated rainfall means your weeds and grass will grow like crazy. It’s best to mow two times a week when the grass is growing fast, if possible. Parents, remember that it’s never safe to allow your children on or near a mower in operation! (Learn more here.)
• Clean up clippings. Typically, it’s best to leave shorter clippings on the grass to offer nutrients to the roots, but very tall grass will bunch up and leave piles of grass clippings on the lawn. This not only looks bad, it might also suffocate the roots. Keep this from happening by bagging the clippings or raking them up after you mow.
• Don’t water. It may seem obvious, but don’t water your plants and grass until the soil dries out again. Excessive rainfall can cause your grass to turn yellow and make the roots die. This will result in wilting plants or yellow grass. The tendency is to water a wilted plant, but if it’s wilted because its roots have died due to excess moisture, over-watering can kill it.