A green and healthy lawn of grass is a great way to add beauty to any home. Especially here in the deserts of the Southwest. Because Phoenix experiences such drastic temperature changes as summer approaches, it is important to know what grass to use and when to plant it if you want to keep your lawn looking great year-round.
Each fall, many people here in the Phoenix area will plant rye grass to take the place of Bermuda grass. Bermuda grass tends to die as temperatures drop. Once winter is over, it’s important to know how and when to transition back to summer grass. This will keep your landscape looking great all summer long.
Here are a few tips on how you can successfully switch to summer grass
1. Keep an eye on the temperature. When you notice that nighttime temperatures begin to exceed 65 degrees on a regular basis, it’s a definite signal that it’s time to start the transition to summer grass. This typically happens in late April and early May.
2. Take the time to verticut or dethatch your Rye grass to allow the sunlight to get through to the Bermuda grass underneath.
3. Cut back on the amount of water you use. By cutting back to about 75% of what you would normally use for watering your lawn, you will help the Rye take a back seat and allow the Bermuda to grow.
4. You can help the water penetrate even further by aerifying your lawn. This will ensure that the proper nutrients are reaching the summer grass while allowing more oxygen to reach the root zone. You can typically rent aerifying and verticutting equipment at local home supply stores.
5. Mow your lawn twice a week and lower your mower little by little so that grass doesn’t exceed ½ inch to ¾ inch. Be sure to use a rake to gather all grass clippings to prevent them from inhibiting the growth of the Bermuda underneath.
6. Use fertilizer and slowly build your watering schedule back up to what it was before. You’ll begin to see the Bermuda grass overtaking the Rye.
7. Watch for shady spots in your lawn. Rye tends to grow more aggressively in these shady areas and can block the sun from reaching the Bermuda grass.
Eventually, once the summer heat is in full effect, the Rye grass will die. However, if you haven’t take the right steps to transition to Bermuda grass, you may end up with a bunch of bare spots.
For help in transitioning to summer grass, call ABC Scapes for a free estimate. You can rely on our extensive knowledge about landscaping in the Phoenix area to help your lawn look gorgeous all year round. Call us at 602-404-0568.