The weather has definitely changed and taken a turn for the more dramatic this month. The West Coast is dealing with the aftermath of a Hurricane and on the opposite side the East is seeing unseasonably warm weather. But here in the central part of the United States, States are experiencing record-smashing heat waves and Colorado is no exception. We all should expect temperatures to reach well over 100 degrees consistently throughout the rest of the week. In fact, the weather services have announced that excessive heat warnings and watches are in effect for 18 states from Louisiana to Minnesota. It is important to be careful and make sure you are safe from this late summer heat. After that, Xander Landscaping would like to offer some advice and tips to help your landscape survive this heat wave.
Water Earlier
Check your timers and watering schedules for when your lawn gets its hydration. With the higher temperatures consistently coming day after day, it is best to water before temperatures reach their peak. The further you water your lawn from peak temperatures the better and with heat waves such as this, that means the degrees rise much earlier and faster than normal. Watering earlier will give your grassroots more time to absorb the moisture it needs to weather the scorching sun. This task is pretty easy to do if you have a smart timer or standard irrigation system timer with a sprinkler system. But the modest hose-driven watering method might be more difficult for some who like to get the most out of their sleep schedule. If that is the case, Xander Landscaping can offer competitive quotes of varying finishes to help get your home irrigated with sprinkler systems and timers.
Double up on that mulch
There are few things a homeowner or business can do to protect their plants and gardens from direct sunlight. Fortunately, of the available options, one of them is relatively affordable and easy to do – applying a layer of mulch over the soil. Excessive heat dehydrates your landscape faster than anything else, by adding extra layers of mulch you can stop this process from happening as quickly. Add mulch to help preserve moisture from those early morning waterings we discussed just now. Understandably, if your landscape has a lot of planters and gardens – this task can quickly scale to a dauntingly large amount of effort. Xander Landscaping has a designated team that can assist in landscape installation. If an area or garden is no longer salvageable Xander Landscaping can quickly replace the affected area and ensure that mulch is provided to the new installation as well as everything else in the landscape that needs it.
Keep grass longer than usual
One other tip that can help your landscape survive this heat wave is simply leaving the mower alone. That’s right, by forgoing the usual trim your lawn will grow longer and hence provide slightly more shade from the sun for the grass roots. Longer blades of grass will help shield the soil and root system from the sun. This will ultimately help the grass lawn retain more moisture and give it a better chance of surviving this intense heat wave. Three to six inches in height is recommended by professional landscapers during a heat wave. And if you do end up mowing the grass anyways, ditch the bag and leave the clippings which will act as a natural mulch. Of course, if your lawn or grass has been scorched beyond repair, Xander Landscaping is here to help with sod installation and soil repair. There is plenty of warm weather ahead and is the perfect time to ensure your lawn becomes healthy once more and is adequately prepared for the cooler months to follow.
Switch to AstroTurf or Xeriscape
Sometimes, grass sod doesn’t quite fit a landscape – Xander Landscaping is all too familiar with that scenario and offers astroturf and xeriscape services. Both options are an amazing opportunity for homeowners and businesses to front a one-time cost to ensure a cost-saving exterior feature that will be functional throughout any time of the year. It goes without saying, Artificial Turf installation will provide properties with replica sod that requires minimal maintenance and no watering. Xeriscape features also require less maintenance but only need minimal watering. Both have great advantages in cost-effectiveness, maintenance, and versatility. If you are interested in either of these options, Xander Landscaping would be happy to provide and landscape design and quote.
This heat wave will be over before we know it and until then there are just a few things that can be done at home to ensure your landscape will survive. Xander Landscaping is here to provide services as well just in case your property needs a more professional touch. Contact us here at Xander and see why we are the local favorite landscaping company.