Soaring hot temperatures across the country are making caring for your lawn and garden a tougher task. How do you protect your lawn through high temperatures and drought conditions? The experts at The Toro Company offer these tips to help keep it looking good through the dog days of summer.

Water
"Keep your lawn well watered during periods of hot dry weather," says Dr. Van Cline, Agronomist for The Toro Company. "The key is to prevent the grass from wilting. Water deeply and infrequently instead of brief daily waterings."

Don't Fertilize
Resist the urge to feed your lawn in mid-summer. "Fertilizing encourages plants to grow," says Dr. Cline. "This saps energy reserves needed to resist high temperature stress. Fertilizers should be applied during periods of active growth in spring and fall."

Don't Scalp Your Lawn
Leaving the lawn a little longer during hot dry weather helps shade and protect the root system. It can also reduce moisture loss. Increase the height of cut on your mower to at least 2.5 inches.

Be Proactive
Dr. Cline advocates planning ahead. "Anticipate mid-summer stress by practicing sound turf management year round. A healthy vigorous lawn with a deep root system going into hot dry weather will withstand stress like we're experiencing this year much better than a lawn on the edge."

For expert advice on caring for your lawn and other yard and garden topics, visit www.yardcare.com. Yardcare.com is a combined effort of The Toro® Company and select experts in the fields of lawn care, gardening and landscape design.

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