If current temperatures are any indication this year will be one of the warmest in recent memory and warm summers can take a toll on your lawn. Whether you’re already in a drought and are living with water restrictions or you just want to conserve, here are a few tips to help your lawn stay green.
More, just less often- When we’re told to conserve water the instinct is to water less, which leads many of us to do light sprinklings in the morning and at night, but it’s better to water deeply. A deep watering in which the soil is soaked to about 6-8 inches deep will encourage roots to grow deeper and stronger. Your lawn will eventually need less water to remain green as the roots get stronger.
Don’t fertilize- Without fertilizer your lawn will grow slowly, encouraging deeper roots and less water.
Early bird gets the worm – Watering at night may seem like the best time of day to water your lawn, but it actually encourages diseases to take root in your soil. Instead, water during the early morning. It allows the water to seep down into the soil without evaporation, but doesn’t sit long enough to do damage.
Let it grow- The sun can scorch your lawn and shorter blades of grass give less coverage to the soil. Raise your lawn mower blades so that the grass is a little taller. By allowing the grass to grow a bit the soil will retain more moisture and require less water.
Featured Vacation Rentals
Expore your favorite national park while staying at one of these great getaways.
Search for more great rental homes convenient to national parks at Rentals.com
Top 10 National Parks
National Parks are a great inexpensive vacation that gets you outdoors and into the natural world. Here are a few options that you’ve heard of and some that you may have never considered.
1. Arches National Park- Moab, Utah Home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches in varying colors, textures, and formations this park will wish you had paid attention in Geology so many years ago. 2. Yosemite- California As one of the most famous National Parks it can get crowded but with gigantic waterfalls, enormous rocks and over 2,000 varieties of plant and animals, it’s a can’t miss. 3. Badlands National Park- South Dakota Awaken your inner archeologist in the Badlands, home to the world’s riches Oligocene epoch fossil beds. See mammals such as horses and rhinoceros etched in time, specifically 27-28 million years ago. 4. Biscayne – Miami, Florida Play Pirates of the Caribbean right in America’s backyard at Biscayne, where small islands and rich, coral reefs hold the mysteries of shipwrecks and natural treasures. 5. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks- California Hike, bike and gaze at the world’s largest trees at this beautiful national park. 6. Grand Teton- Wyoming Gaze upon glacial lakes and pristine valleys while hiking the rocky Teton range. This park is a study in contrasts that awakens the senses. 7. Glacier National Park- Montana Another popular site, Glacier National Park, attacts nearly 2 million visitors during the summer months, but boasts 700 miles of hiking trails and 200 waterfalls. See the park before all the glaciers disappear, which could be as soon as 2030. 8. Congaree National Park- South Carolina As a fairly new National Park, Congaree, will be less crowded than most and is home to the largest remnant of old-growth floodplain forest on the continent. 9. Carlsbad Caverns- New Mexico Instead of hiking up take a trip down into 113 of the largest underground caves in North America. 10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park- Tennessee and North Carolina As one of the few famous Parks on this side of Mississippi the Great Smoky Mountains packs a big punch with rich forests and tranquil valleys that are home to the history of North America from Paleo-Indians to early European settlers.
You don’t have to sacrifice your lawn or house plants to conserve water. Pick up a rain barrel at your local home improvement store. The water you gather from your gutters or just by sitting in the back yard can be used any time you need to water your indoor or outdoor garden.
Nothing says Summer like a barbeque. Check out this great recipe for a sizzlin’ summer side dish.
Blue Cheese Coleslaw
By Nadine Hensler
Ingredients:
2 bags of precut coleslaw mix plus extra as desired (or ½ head each green cabbage & red cabbage and 4 carrots)
2 cups good mayonnaise
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole grain or spicy brown mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
4-6 oz pre-crumbled blue cheese 1 cup chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions:
Shred cabbage and carrots or pour bags of coleslaw into a large bowl. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, both mustards, vinegar, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing over the grated vegetables and toss to moisten well. Add crumbled blue cheese and parsley and toss together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Got a recipe of your own you would like to share? Tell us at comments@rentals.com
Forward to a Friend
Think someone else would enjoy this newsletter? Forward this email to a colleague or friend.
