Summer Home & Lawn Maintenance Tips

Summer is finally here! While it’s all too easy to soak up the sun and ignore our responsibilities, summer maintenance is as important as ever to keep your home in tip top shape! Below are some summer maintenance tips for your home, lawn, and garden to keep them looking their best!

For your garden:

Deadhead blooms regularly to keep gardens clean.
Divide perennials such as peonies, lilies, and irises.
Order seeds or perennials to be planted before the first frost.
Prune bushes and woody plants.
Trim perennials that are done blooming to 4” in height.
Add a layer of mulch to fight off weeds and help your soil retain moisture.

For your lawn:

Fertilizer - Careful consideration should be taken when choosing to fertilize. As the summer sun shines down, most grass types no longer benefit from the nitrogen-based fertilizers that are recommended in the spring. As temperatures rise, nitrogen tends to burn the grass. During the hot months, good color can be maintained by adding a fertilizer containing iron or one high in potassium and limestone.
Weed control - As long as temperatures remain below 85 degrees for several days, a broad leaf weed control can be applied to help reduce weeds in next year’s lawn. Broadleaf weeds include dandelion, clover, ground ivy, and wild onion.
Watering - If chosen to, watering should be done early in the day as too much nighttime moisture will cause mildew and fungal growth. If a lawn has not been watered regularly throughout the summer, it should not suddenly be watered now as it has already adapted itself. If the lawn is already stressed by the heat and sun, watering now at the peak of the hot season will not bring it back to its original early summer color and texture.
Grubs - Mid to late summer is a good time to begin the Battle of the Beetle. Applying a grub control substance now will help ward off grubs and subsequently, keep beetles down in the lawn next year. With proper application, grub control should zap the newest generation of the damaging pests. A second application of a grub control in the early spring should take care of any dormant survivors.

For your home:

Clean out the gutters in preparation for autumn leaf fall.
Pressure wash the outside of the house and decks/porches.
Patch cracks and holes in concrete surfaces.
Inspect the caulking around the windows and doors of your home and repair as needed to keep bugs at bay.
Check any fences and have them repainted, resealed, or repaired as necessary.
Check all outdoor hoses and faucets for leaks and repair as necessary.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Remove lint from inside and outside washer hoses and dryer vents.
Clean refrigerator coils and door gaskets.
Replace HVAC filters and clean air conditioner drain lines.
Clean bathroom vent fans, drains, and showerheads
Clean ceiling fan blades.
Change water filters throughout the house.

While summer maintenance can be dreadful, it is imperative in order to keep your home and lawn looking their best. If you need any assistance with summer maintenance, email us at info@mtdbuilding.com.