A third straight year of drought has led many California water districts and municipalities to institute watering restrictions. The stated goal is to slash water use by 35 percent to counteract the effects of a lower winter snowpack and dwindling reservoirs.
This isn’t good news for your lawn, but don’t worry. Clark, your neighborhood pest, mosquito, termite, and rodent control expert, offers a full lineup of lawn, plant, and tree care services to keep your lawn and shrubs healthy and free of weeds and pests during the long, hot summer ahead.
Clark’s lawn and yard services use the most advanced products and service techniques to deliver treatments that promote healthy, sustainable growth while leaving the smallest environmental footprint possible. Our lineup of services includes:
- Lawn fertilization
- Tree and shrub care
- Weed control
No two lawns are exactly alike. Lawns may differ by turf species, soil type, climate, location, how they are used, and how they are maintained. Clark can tailor a program with the specifics of your lawn in mind.
Summer lawn and yard care tips
Cut your grass higher: One of the first things you can do to help maintain a healthy lawn is to adjust your mowing height. Cutting a lawn too short removes the turf’s food-producing area, and it can literally starve a lawn, causing it to thin and look aesthetically unattractive. The rule of thumb is to remove one-third of the height at a time and avoid drastically or suddenly changing the cutting height. In the summer, higher is better.
Leave your clippings: If you follow the one-third rule, you can leave your grass clippings on the lawn. This is called “grass cycling,” and it be done with a recycling (mulching) mower that cuts clippings into small pieces, where they decompose quickly and return nutrients to the lawn.
Choose drought-tolerant plants: Select drought-tolerant plants that require less watering and maintenance for your landscape. These plants will add color to your planting beds and save you money on your water bill. Some species are also more resistant to disease and pests.
Water smartly: Once you get your mowing height set, you’ll need to come up with a watering program, as summer’s searing temperatures and dry conditions will deny your lawn the one thing it needs most – water.
Providing your lawn and landscape plants with the water they need to withstand summer’s heat and dry conditions can be a challenge, especially under current watering restrictions in place across California. Clark recommends that you adhere to and follow all local watering regulations.
- Avoid light, frequent watering. A more thorough watering helps turf roots to grow more deeply and establish a healthier lawn.
- Check soil moisture by pushing a screwdriver into the ground. If you meet little resistance, the soil is wet. If it doesn’t push in easily, more water is needed.
- Your lawn needs a minimum of 1 ½ inches of water weekly.
- Early morning is the best time to water.
Clark’s Premier Residential Lawn Care Service lets you combine any lawn and garden services – like lawn fertilization, weed control, or tree and shrub fertilization – with our pest control, and/or our termite monitoring programs. You get a comprehensive umbrella service that delivers all your pest, lawn, and yard needs together.
Have questions about your lawn? Call Clark
To keep your lawn, landscape plants and trees healthy and vibrant this summer, call (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or email clarkcares@clarkpest.com for more information.
Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home and yard.