Summer is officially here and that means we are all getting out and playing games on our lawns. As always, however, I have to give you some warning about this. What, did you think I was going to let you off the hook?

Just as in winter, the lawn will many times go dormant during the hot summer. This is a natural defense and is not unhealthy for your turf, unless you trample it!

I know you like to get out and play bean bags and football and volleyball on your front lawn during July and August, but please be careful. Too much trampling can break brittle grass crowns and kill areas of the lawn. Heavy foot traffic can also compact the soil, making it hard like concrete.

How To Prevent Lawn Damage From Foot Traffic

I am not telling you to “keep off the grass,” guys! I just want you to take care to help it rebound. Here are some tips:

1) Keep the lawn mowed tall. The more grass blades, the more green and healthy.

2) Keep the lawn properly irrigated. If the grass has proper water, it will stay green and flexible.

3) Aerate the lawn in spring and fall. If you do play a lot on your lawn, it is vitally important that you have it aerated every spring and fall to keep the soil loose and air flow going.

So have fun this summer; just don’t let the lawn get all flat and trampled!

You guys know I talk a lot about lawn mowing. In fact, it has got to be one of my favorite lawn care subjects; and today I am going to talk to you about the importance of the lawn mower blade itself.

First off, the blade has got to be sharp during each and every cutting. A dull lawn mower blade will rip and shred the grass tips when you cut. These tears will do a couple things to the turf:

1) Rips and tears in grass plants allows moisture to escape, turning the lawn brown in color.

2) Shredded grass blades allow the introduction of disease pathogens that can take hold.

For most homeowners, I recommend you sharpen your blade at the beginning of the season, and again in late June or July. This should ensure you are in line. However, if you mow lawns for others in your area, you may want to step up this schedule.

Next, I want you to make sure your blade is seated properly under the mower deck. If the blade is loose in any way, it will not cut evenly. Uneven cutting looks bad of course, but also creates the ripping and shredding we talked about above. Make sure you have double washers around the nuts to hold the blade firm when spinning.

Finally, look at the blade compared to your owners manual. Do you have a mulching blade on a mower that is only a bagger? Is your blade designed right for your particular mower? It’s great that you replace the mower blade when needed, but you have to make sure you have the right blade for your mower. The best way to make sure you are good is to buy blades from actual dealers, and not big box home improvement stores.

You see, the blade is a big deal when cutting your lawn! I recommend you check yours today, before you cut!