Yes, that is the title for my blog this week.  I would agree that no one looks forward to the extreme heat, but there is nothing better to help get rid of any remaining transition issues out there.  If you have stubborn ryegrass that has been sticking around despite your low mowing heights and reduction of watering,  a few good days above 110 degrees should take care of those issues. I have seen many areas throughout the valley where the bermudagrass and paspalum are pushing their way up through the ryegrass and it is starting to fill in the weak areas that were once occupied by ryegrass.  I have made the comment before–your lawn grows best between 90-105 degrees.  So what’s a few extra degrees to kick start the summer season?

Bermudagrass

If you have not applied any spring fertilizers to prepare for the summer or have been spoon feeding your lawn with low rates of  nitrogen fertilizer,  it is now okay to get back on your balanced fertilizer routine.  When I refer to a balanced fertilizer I am talking about a 3-1-2 ratio such as 21-7-14 or a 1-1-1 ratio such as 15-15-15.  These will help balance your soil out and get the correct nutrients for your grass plant to survive throughout the summer.  If you are lacking color or still are slow to get some growth here go ahead and make another application of ammonium sulfate 21-0-0 at 5 pounds per 1000 SF or add some Ironite, granular zinc or manganese.

Paspalum

Keep your fertilization to a minimum in the summer and do not apply any nitrogen based fertilizers.  You can use zinc, manganese, or Ironite to maintain summer color.

Watering Schedule

As we move into the summer the general rule of thumb is to water 10 minutes for everyday you do not water.  So if you water every other day you will need to water 20 minutes in the morning.  You may need to increase your watering times depending on your soil conditions, water pressure, and of course your sprinklers.  If you have sprinklers such as MP rotors make sure you put down 2x the required water to achieve the best results.  Make sure to check your heads and see if you are getting a good deep watering by sticking a screwdriver in the ground 6-8 inches after you water.  Make sure you set your water to run first thing in the morning so you don’t have the water sitting on the leaf blade throughout the night giving your grass the potential to get a fungus.

Be sure to read my past blogs to get more tips on getting your best lawn!

Jay