Living in Colorado might give a new meaning to "Don't Stress Out Your Grass Colorado", but in the case, I really do mean your grass. To be really clear, the grass you mow, the green stuff on the ground leading up to your front door. (or as some of us deal with green-slightly brown stuff the neighbors dog poops on)

Garden Club Grass iStock
Garden Club Grass iStock
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With the average temperatures throughout the warm weather season starting at about 70 degrees in May and peaking (statistically) on average at 87 in July the last time you should use fertilizers and weed controllers agents would be around the first week of June. This is my conclusion from articles read stating that you should stop treating your yard a month before the average hottest temperature of the season hits. Yes, I did apply a bit of math, you might want to double check my work. Essentially, if you want a nice lawn you need to treat it with care in the beginning of the season and know when to let nature do the rest, with a moderate level of help throughout the summer.

Something that we've all done, especially the 13-16 year old's in our families, cut the grass too short. In the early weeks before the weather get's too hot a shorter cut is perfectly fine, but when the weather begins to warm, okay get hot, it's time to raise the blade. Begin raising the blade, probably mid-June about 25% and by the time we hit July (statistically the hottest month of the summer) the mower blade should be raised 50% compared to where you had it in the beginning of mowing season. (timing may need to be adjusted depending on weather conditions)

Here's one that seems pretty obvious, but also something most of us don't do, especially as the summer get's hotter and our "fun" activities increase... mowing! Mowing should be done frequently. It isn't good for your lawn to be cut more than one-third of the blade at any one time, this will also encourage stronger roots that in turn will protect the soil below and the overall health of your yard. Bonus Tip: Keep mower blades sharpened as a dull blade with rip, rather than cut your grass and this will damage the core of your lawn.

Watering is important too! But how you water is the most important part of watering. To get the best out of your water (and hard earned money to pay for that watering) water late at night or early in the morning, preferably before 10 a.m. Your lawn will need about an inch of water a week. Light and frequent watering will create shallow roots that can't sustain your lawn during hotter days and often in Colorado hotter weekly spells. Longer and infrequent water will produce much deeper roots and that makes for a happier lawn.

Hopefully this watering, mowing and fertilizing guide will help you maintain a healthy lawn, but don't ask me how to get rid of those pesky rabbits, that's a problem that is ongoing and I've yet to find a true solution to the damage those pesky rabbits do each year.

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