August Lawn Care Tips for Austin Curb Appeal
As an Austin real estate agent I know summers can take a toll on your well-maintained lawns! Here are some Austin home owner tips to keep up that curb appeal even when the thermometer is hitting triple digits.
Spread the Love: Fertilize
Austin home owners should always be aware that fertilization is key for a full, healthy green lawn. In fact, the care you take in August will last well into December. Keeping your lawn healthy is important because the thicker and richer the lawn, the harder it is for weeds and insects to penetrate.
Experts advise you use a broadcast spreader as it allows for even distribution of your fertilizer. In this case you should be using a premium, slow-release 15-5-10 fertilizer as it is a non-burning mix that will still be effective even when not watered. That said, it does of course work best with regular watering.
Keep Things Controlled
You can purchase a broadcast spreader at your local home improvement or lawn and garden center. It is best to look for a dispersal guard on your spreader as this is designed to help keep fertilizer granules from spreading beyond your lawn. You want to avoid it spreading to areas such as the street and sidewalk in your Austin neighborhood as well as patios, driveways, etc. As well, if your Austin property has a pool, be cautious when spreading fertilizer on the surrounding lawn as the iron content can cause rust stains on your pool’s floor.
To avoid issues such as oxidation marks on paved areas of your property, not to mention the public sidewalks, it is good to use a power blower to blow any stray fertilizer back onto your lawn.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled!
This is the season of the dreaded sod webworm. Look for small, tan colored moths in your yard as they are the little trouble makers who will lay sod webworm larva. Once they hatch your lawn becomes lunch!
Birds on your lawn are another indication you could have sod webworm as they are attracted to the worms for food! Another thing to look for is yellowing or paling clumps of grass on your green lawn. If you suspect there is an issue, you can look for signs of webworm “waste” which appears as small green pellets at the foot of your glass blades. While searching for waste, you can look closely at the blades of grass for signs of “chewing”.
If it does appear you have webworm, you can visit your local lawn and garden center and ask them for a product that will help rid you of the problem. These products are best used not only on the lawn, but also on low lying shrubs in your yard as the webworms tend to hide here in the heat of the day. With proper application you should see the webworm die off within a week.
These August lawn care tips will keep your lawn pristine for plenty of curb appeal during the scorching summer months. Email me for more information about buying or selling a home.
