We’re back for part 2 of our series on the most common natural grass problems we see in San Antonio, and what you can do to resolve them. This week, we’ll talk about the second major factor that affects the health of your lawn from season to season: improper light conditions.
How much sun your lawn receives may not be a top of mind concern for you. After all, your lawn is outside – how much control do you really have about how the sun affects your yard’s health and appearance? Quite a bit, actually.
Common Issue #2 – Improper Light Conditions
It is possible for your lawn to receive either too much or not enough sunlight. In each situation, a little additional landscaping can go a long way to preserving the lush look and feel of your natural grass.
Solutions for Too Much Sun
The condition will occur when there is minimal to no coverage over a sun-facing lawn.
If your lawn falls into the category of receiving too much direct sunlight, you maybe find that your natural grass dries out. In this case, we suggest that you:
• Add an irrigation system to your yard. This will ensure that no matter how harsh the summer sun gets, your lawn stays well hydrated.
• Turn your lawn into a xeriscape. A xeriscape is a landscape theme that eliminates or greatly reduces the need for extra watering or irrigation. Xeriscapes typically use sun and heat friendly plants and shrubs to maintain an attractive lawn in even the sunniest months.
Solutions for Too Much Shade
This can happen either when too many trees in the yard block the sun’s rays from the grass, when the backyard is facing away from direct sunlight, or when leaf debris layers over the natural grass in the fall.
If your lawn falls into the other category – too much shade – the issue may be even easier to resolve:
• Install a quality artificial turf like EasyTurf in problem areas that don’t face direct sunlight.
• Replace the grass in your lawn with moss. Moss thrives in shady environments.
• Replace areas of your grass with shade gardens that feature plants that will thrive in the shade, like ferns or hosta.
• If your trees block the suns rays too much, simply thin out the leafy canopy to allow more sunlight to filter down to the grass and plants below.
If leafy trees stand at the root of your shade issues, a last resort would be to remove some of the trees in your yard. However, this option should come last in your review of possible solutions since trees require less water than natural grass and are better for water conservation. Your lawn is a living, breathing thing, and maintaining a beautiful lawn means keeping it healthy. From water to light, it’s important to make sure the growth factors in your yard remain balanced from season to season.
Our next installment of common natural grass problems and how to resolve them will explore the best way to keep your lawn healthy when you have pets, and in spite of pests. Check back later for the full DIY story.
