Lawn care tips if you aren’t willing to let your lawn go dormant

The end of June is time to evaluate the roses and your lawn.

If your rose plants have finished their first flush of flowers this is the time to fertilize and to remove all the old, faded blooms . Follow the stem of a mature rose bloom down to the point where it meets a leaf that has five leaflets. This is the point where a new rose stem will emerge for the second wave of rose flowers.

Next consider your lawn. If you are content with a “good enough” lawn then just make sure the grass gets at least one inch of water a week to keep it green and mow once a week. To conserve water you can let the lawn go dormant or “go golden” later in the summer. A dormant lawn may look dead but in Western Washington it will return to green when the fall rains return.

If you are determined to have a lush, green lawn all summer then this is the week to fertilize, spot spray or dig the summer weeds and then consider aerating the lawn before the summer drought arrives. You lawn will need at least one inch of water a week to stay green. Here are a few more lawn care tips:

Sharpen your mower: A dull mower tears the grass blades leaving a dull or brown tinge to the grass. You can bring your machine to a professional every year or learn to sharpen the blades yourself.

Vary the direction you mow: Over time your lawn mower wheels will leave ruts in the grass. Changing the direction so that neither you nor the mower gets into a rut is good for you both.

Mow more often but mow high: Your goal is to remove no more than the top one third of the grass blade. This way you cut off the blade not the stem of the grass. In Western Washington we grow cool season grasses that like to be cut higher than what you see on the golfing greens or in warmer climates. Set your mower at the highest setting and you will have taller grasses that can shade out more weeds and stay greener longer during times of limited rainfall. Once your grass is three inches tall, cut it by one third. Just say no to the low mow.

Level out the ground: If you opt for a healthier high mow then to get that clean and tidy look you will need to fill in the low spots and level out the high spots. A level lawn cut with a sharp mower gives the illusion of a closely cropped lawn. One tip for a quick makeover is to cut out the section of grass that is too low or too high and set the sod aside. Fill in the low spot with topsoil or smooth out the high spot. Then immediately replace the sod section.

Trim the edges: Just as a frame can enhance a picture a clean border can make any lawn look better. You can install brick, cement or plastic borders between the lawn and beds or use an edger to keep the border between the lawn and beds more precise.

Too much work? The good news is that working outdoors in the yard has proven health benefits. Plus a nice lawn with good curb appeal adds to the value of your home.

Throw in the trowel where your lawn is less than lovely: Areas that are too shaded, too steep, too wet or too filled with weeds can be dug up and replaced with groundcover or other plantings. Take your time and remove one strip of lousy lawn each week until you have dug up the grass from these struggling areas. Meanwhile do your research on what would grow best under trees, on slopes or in the low damp areas of your yard.

Here are some lawn substitute ideas: Too much shade: Grow a shade happy groundcover such as lamium, ajuga, native sword ferns, or fast growing and rather invasive vinca minor.

• Steep slope: Terrace the slope with rock or pavers or stair step the slope and add ground hugging junipers, cotoneaster, kinnininick or even sprawling roses. Do not plant English ivy. It becomes invasive and does a hostile takeover into trees and a bank of ivy is the perfect home for rats.
• Low wet area: Create a rain garden by diverting rain water into the low spot that can be filled with rock and plants like iris that prefer a moist soil. In our area landscape companies can install a rain garden that will filter rain water and create an attractive landscape feature. You will be helping to return clean filtered water to the ground water supply and have less lawn to mow.