Summer Sun and Your Lawn: Friends or Enemies?

Rain is a crucial ingredient for your lawn but let’s not forget about its counterpart-- sunlight! We tend to get ample amounts of it during the summer here in Alabama. It can greatly affect the health and look of your yard so let’s discuss how to measure the amount of sunlight your grass gets and how to keep your lawn looking fresh!

What kind of grass do you have (or looking to have)?Friends or enemies of the sun? Certain types of grass need more sun, while others do not tolerate direct sunlight well.  While sunlight is a crucial ingredient for grass of any kind, too much or too little can cause harm to your lawn. It is necessary to understand how much sunlight is needed for your particular type of grass. Below are some common grass types and their preferred amount sunlight:

1. Tifway Bermuda: 6-8 hrs

2. Emerald and Z-52 Zoysia: 5-6 hours

3. Tiftuf/TifGrand Bermuda: 4-6hrs

4. Fescue: 2-4 hoursGrasses such as Bermuda tend to do better here in the South, since they thrive in long hours of sunlight. If your grass seems to be getting sourced or looks like it's dying, it may not be solely connected to watering but also from the sun and its tolerance of direct sunlight.  Not sure what kind of grass you have? Is your yard more weeds than grass? Call DSLD for a landscape services consultation in Birmingham, AL to access your yard and its needs.

How am I supposed to know how much sunlight different sections of my yard is getting?First, let’s establish that “full sun” refers to at least 6 hours of direct sunlight, “partial sun” refers to about 3 hours of sunlight, and “shade” refers to less than 3 hours of sunlight. Take note of where the sun starts in the morning and then monitor which parts of your lawn are receiving sun exposure and and when throughout the day. Try to do this near the beginning of the summer so you can get an idea of how to care for your lawn throughout the remainder of the summer. Here’s an idea of a chart you can use to keep up with sunlight for the day:  Full Sun Chart9:00 AM12 Noon3 PM6 PMFront Yard✔✔✔✔Side Yard✔✔Backyard✔ Based on this example, your front yard receives full sun, your side yard gets partial sun, and your backyard is mostly shaded. Once you’ve observed the patterns in your yard, you can better determine how to care for it during the summertime. 

Now what? How do I take care of my grass based on the data?Summer lawn care general consists of mowing and watering. The frequency of these two will depend on the data you collected about your yard. Let’s break it down based off how much sunlight each part of your yard is getting.  Full Sun Lawns: Keep your lawn mower blades high so as to not cut the grass too low where the sun can dry up moisture at the roots. Mow often to encourage growth. Water at regular intervals (infrequently but thoroughly)- not too often and not too little since both can lead to scorched or dying grass. Water your yard in the morning (6am-10am), the earlier the better, so that more water is absorbed and less is evaporated at peak times of the day.  Shaded lawns: Don’t over-water your shaded lawn areas because dampness can cause disease, which will kill off your grass. If these areas need more sun, consider trimming some of the branches or bushes that may be blocking sunlight. If you’re wanting to have healthy grass that thrives off of a lack of sunlight, consider fescue and maybe even reseed your lawn. DSLD is a landscaping services company in Birmingham, AL with a team of professionals who are highly experienced in dealing with lawn care issues in the summer. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have! We’re ready to help you get the most out of your lawn. Contact us today.