Utah’s a desert state, which means our summers are unbearably hot – not just for us, but also for any non-native plants (aka, most of your lawn). While we can duck inside and hide in air-conditioned bliss, our lawns don’t have that luxury. As such, you want to know how to care for your plants in extremely hot weather so that your yard doesn’t turn into this dull, brown, sad state of affairs.

Here is what you need to know about how to care for your plants in extremely hot weather and some options for if you don’t have much time to spare for your yard. Let’s get into it.

How Do Plants Cope With Heat?

This depends on the plant. If you have xeriscaping (landscaping designed for areas susceptible to drought), then you probably don’t have to do much in order to keep your lawn beautiful. For example, succulents converse water in their leaves, which is why said leaves are so fleshy. However, if your plants are not native to an extremely hot environment, they’ll struggle with the heat in one way or another.

Plants wilt when they lose water. If this condition continues, they’ll eventually dry up, turn brown, and die. Plants may also drop their leaves in an attempt to save water. Vegetable and fruit plants may have trouble producing in extremely hot weather.

How Do You Care For Your Plants In Extremely Hot Weather?

There are a few things that you can do in order to care for your plants in extremely hot weather.

#1. Additional Watering

The most straightforward thing to do when it’s super hot out is to water your plants more often. Since they’re losing water and make efforts to conserve water like the aforementioned dropping foliage, giving them more water helps them stay healthier in the heat. When it’s extremely hot, plants absorb water faster and need to be watered more often.

Bear in mind, though, that you can still overwater your plants. Overwatering isn’t good for them and causes some of the same problems as not enough water – wilting and leaf loss. This is because too much water depletes the oxygen in the soil, drowning your plants. 

Watering in the morning and early evening is best (more on this in our previous blog about the best time of day to water your lawn). Don’t shower the leaves and branches at night, as this increases risk of fungus, mildew, and more – keep the water to the soil. Doing this in the morning when the leaves have time to dry before night strikes may help cool them, though.

#2. Mulch

Mulching your plants has two-fold benefits. Firstly, it helps to conserve moisture, keeping your plants hydrated. Secondly, it helps to keep your plants cooler – a must when temperatures are soaring. Shoot for a depth of about 3-4 inches to keep the soil around your plants moist and protected from harsh heat.

It’s important to select the right type of mulch for the plants you’re trying to protect and your area. Different types of mulch provide different layers of protection. As a general rule, light-colored mulches protect from heat better than dark-colored mulches, for the same reason why it’s better to wear white clothes over black clothes when it’s hot out.

#3. Shade Covers

This is especially important on fruit and vegetable plants. Giving your plants shade gives them relief from the heat, the same as it does for people. Shade covers come in varying degrees of protection. You can pick the one with the degree of protection that best suits your plants’ needs.

Generally, it’s recommended to pick a shade cover with 30%-50% protection, as your plants still need sunlight in order to thrive.

What About If You Don’t Have Extra Time For Your Lawn?

If you don’t have much time to spare, you can choose heat-tolerant plants for your yard. These are plants that can thrive in the heat and harsh sunlight. This is why people opt for the aforementioned xeriscaping – going for native plants rather than the stereotypical American green grass. 

You can also hire a lawn care company to take care of your lawn for you. Many lawn care companies, such as the experts here at Green Castle Lawn Care, provide custom lawn care programs in order to best suit your needs and the needs of your lawn.

Contact us today to learn more about the lawn care services we provide and how we can help you care for your plants in extremely hot weather. 

Do you have brown spots ruining your otherwise beautiful property? It can be frustrating trying to figure out what’s causing the issue and what you can do in order to restore your lawn to its former glory. Here’s what you need to know about common causes of brown spots on your lawn and what you can do about them. 

What Causes Brown Spots On Your Lawn?

Brown spots are most often caused by foliar diseases – aka, a type of disease that hurts the blades of your grass, but not the root system. However, disease is not the sole cause of brown spots on your lawn. Other potential causes include:

• Pet urine. If you’re annoyed by neighbors letting their dogs do their business on your lawn, there’s good reason for this beyond wanting common courtesy upheld. Urine has a high amount of nitrogen, which burns grass. Brown spots from pet urine are typically surrounded by darker green rings.
• Heavy foot traffic. This can damage your lawn, kill your grass, and lead to brown spots.
• Insects. Grubs can eat the roots of your grass, causing brown patches that widen as the damage worsens. If you have grubs, the brown patches will feel spongelike and be easy to rake up due to the damage to the roots.

Generally speaking, the healthier your lawn is, the less likely it is that you have to worry about brown spots.

About Brown Spot Disease

Brown spot disease, also known as Rhizoctonia solani, typically appears in the latter half of summer, when temperatures are at their hottest. We’re talking night-time temperatures over 68 degrees Fahrenheit and daytime temperatures in the 80s or higher. It affects cool-season grasses the most, but can also affect warm-season grasses. 

This fungus can be in your soil for a while before it starts causing brown spots in your lawn. Rainy periods can prompt brown spot disease. It can also be caused by lack of air circulation, poor drainage, compacted soil, excessive thatch, and more. Watering your lawn too frequently increases its risk of developing brown spots. Brown spot disease can also be spread by foot traffic and clippings.

Can Grass Recover From Brown Spots?

Yes, fortunately, it can. If you’re struggling with brown spots on your lawn, this isn’t a permanent issue. While it will take time for your grass to recover, it’s very possible for it to do so. What’s needed in order to help your grass recover depends on the cause. Sometimes you just need to make some easy adjustments, but other times, lawn treatments are required.

What To Do About Brown Spots On Your Lawn

Depending on what caused the brown spots on your lawn, the steps you’ll need to take to resolve the problem vary. 

• Brown spot disease. In some cases, improving environmental conditions can help with fungus, but in others, you may need fungicide. Brown spot disease typically doesn’t go away on its own, so it’s important to treat it if you have this issue.
• Pet urine. If asking your neighbor to make sure that their pet doesn’t urinate on your lawn isn’t working, you can also put up a fence around your lawn so that dogs can’t access it. You can also have your lawn aerated and reseeded or use a treatment specifically made for dog urine spots.
• Heavy foot traffic. If your brown spots are because those areas of your lawn are just popular, you can make a conscious effort to use other parts of your lawn to lessen the traffic each area receives. You can also work to ensure that you’re cleaning up after yourself whenever you go outside and aren’t leaving soccer balls or toys or what have you just laying out in your lawn. 
• Grubs. If you have grubs eating your grass roots, you can treat them with insecticide in the spring and reseed the grass come fall. 

Professional Help For Brown Spots On Your Lawn

Struggling with brown spots and can’t figure out what to do? Or perhaps you just don’t have the time to address the issue? Green Castle Lawn Care is here to help. We provide comprehensive lawn care services from insect control to fertilization to custom-built lawn care programs. A beautiful green lawn isn’t some far-fetched fantasy – it’s something our experts can help you achieve.

Contact us today to learn more about our lawn care services.

Knowing when and how much to water your lawn is an essential part of maintaining a lush, green property. Most people know that you shouldn’t water your lawn in the middle of the day (and if you didn’t, now you do!) However, you may wonder whether it is better to water your lawn in the morning or at night.

Here, we’ll tell you the best time to water your lawn, why this is, and give you some pointers to help you keep your lawn healthy and happy.

The Best Time To Water Your Lawn Is… Drumroll, Please:

The morning! 

The best time to water your lawn is before 10am. The reason for this is because in the morning, it’s still cool and the sun isn’t as intense. This gives the water the best chance to soak into your soil and nourish your lawn. It also gives your grass plenty of time to dry after being watered, an essential part of staving off disease. 

So, if you already water your lawn in the morning, give yourself a pat on the back – you’re doing something right. If you are an evening waterer, head on down to the next section to see why this isn’t the best course of action. 

Why Watering Your Lawn In The Evening Isn’t Ideal

If you’re an evening waterer, you probably think you’re saving your grass from being burned by the sun. However, if you water your lawn at night, the water droplets can cling to your grass. This increases your grasses’ risk of fungal diseases. You want to give the water the chance to soak into the soil and you want to give your grass the chance to dry before temperatures start dropping for the night.

Why You Shouldn’t Water Your Lawn In The Middle Of The Day

If you’re new to home ownership or just were never taught about proper lawn care, you might not know that you shouldn’t be watering your lawn in the middle of the day. A lot of people think that the reason for this is because the combination of heat and water will burn your grass. Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t why your grass can turn dry and brown.

When you water in the middle of the day, the water is more likely to evaporate before it gets the chance to seep into the soil. This causes your lawn to not get as much water as it should. Thus, the reason why watering in the middle of the day can turn your lawn dry and brown isn’t because the water is burning your grass – it’s because your grass isn’t getting enough water to stay happy and healthy. 

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, you can lose up to 50% of the water you use on your lawn due to evaporation, runoff, and wind. This is why people typically water their lawns in the morning or at night, in order to avoid water waste and grass damage.

What If You Need To Water Your Lawn Twice A Day?

The ideal watering schedule for your lawn is going to vary based on a variety of factors, from soil type to grass type to the climate. While it’s generally recommended that you water your lawn deeply and infrequently, there are times when you’d need to water more often, such as in hot, dry climates (Utah, anyone?) 

If this is the case for your lawn, you can water it once in the morning and then again in the late afternoon or early evening. Think about 6pm. This is so that you’re not watering your lawn in the heat of the day when the water would just evaporate and so that the grass has the chance to dry, decreasing risk of lawn diseases. 

Are You Having Issues With Your Lawn?

Green Castle Lawn Care is here to help! Whether you need advice on how often you should be watering your lawn based on the type of soil and grasses you have in your climate or you’re having problems you can’t resolve, our experts are ready to help you determine the ideal maintenance program to maintain a healthy, happy lawn. Contact us today to learn more about our lawn care services.