Dog Days of Summer

The summer of 2010 is going into the record books as the hottest, and one of the dryest summers on record here in the CT River Valley. Today is August 9, and the temperature is 86 and humid! Our summer started early, back in May, and we are just beginning the "dog days of summer"......

Most lawns are not loving the weather we are having and unfortunately, August is sure to bring more. Those dog days surely mean more heat and humidity. The good news is that as the days get shorter, the night get a little cooler, and our lawns and landscapes get a signal that it's time to send out new roots and begin to prepare for winter. So, although it's hard to tell right now, all those brown lawns are beginning to wake up, even though we are going to have more summer weather!

What they really need along with the shorter days, and cooler nights, is a good soaking rain. Continue to do your best to supplement with watering as best you can. Fertilization is important now to have food ready for the lawn as it needs it. Aeration can be a big help to open the soil for better water absorption, more nutrient availability, and to help stimulate root growth. This is also a great time to overseed the lawn to introduce improved, disease and insect resistant grasses.

While it's difficult to grow cool-season bluegrass and rye-grass lawns when we're getting "hot-season" Georgia type weather, we're confident that protecting the lawn from insects and building the soil with the proper nutrients will really help most lawns bounce back quickly.