Four Hot Tips For Summer Landscaping In The Midwest

Feb 7, 2025

Simple Ways To Help Your Landscape Thrive Even During A Midwest Summer

Water Early In The Mornings

If you ask me, there’s nothing better than rising with the sun or even a little before and enjoying the peace and quiet of your backyard, porch, and lawn. While I do love hand watering, drip, sprinkler and combined irrigation systems can cut down on your landscaping workload for sure.

You can add a rain barrel. Also, timers can be a great addition if you like to travel during the summer or sleep in – just be sure to water early during heat waves so roots have time to absorb all the moisture they need to fend off damage from the heat.

Stick To a Regular Watering Schedule

The first email you get from Lotus after we design and install a new landscape plant trees in your yard, install new sod, or do anything to your yard basically says two things:

Thank you - and remember to water your trees, gardens, and lawn!

I drive by periodically to check on things after we design and install a landscape, plant a few bushes, or even just lay some sod. I want to make sure we did the best job possible and that the plants are healthy and thriving.

Over the years, I’ve learned that the main reason gardens look less than stellar is simply a lack of water, mulch, and proper spring pruner. Remember, if you don’t have time, there’s probably a neighbor who can help with watering. In addition, a smart irrigation system is a great way to ensure routine watering.

Inspect Your Landscape On A Regular Basis

I know this sounds like a hassle, but I recommend going outside every day if you can and just walking through your landscape – that way, you’ll spot trouble long before it becomes a disaster.

Quick Tip: A fun family activity is to divide up the daily “yard inspection.” In Stephen Covey’s classic book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, he recommends that parents assign their children full responsibility for some household chore – it might be a small rug, a living room, or a section of the yard, depending on their age.

Covey encourages parents to remind their kids that it’s ok to ask for help too. If a child asks a parent to mow the lawn one week because of after school sports activity, the parent should say yes if he or she has time to help. If the parent doesn’t have time, the child can be encouraged to seek other ways to manage their responsibility – maybe a friend or a neighbor can help out or maybe the lawn will be ok with one week of missed mowing.

The trick is to be sure that the child initiates the ask – no matter what, parents should try not to interfere with this exercise in responsibility. Successfully managing their own little “turf” builds their self-esteem and helps teens grow into mature and happy adults.

Let The Grass Grow A Little Longer

Summer is great time to relax and let the grass grow – 3 to 4 inches or so. You can think of grass like a shield that protects landscape soil from the hot sun. Let it grow a little longer to keep your ground fertile and healthy.

Quick Tip: The hair on your head does protect your scalp from the sun, [link to skin cancer foundation] but it’s still best to wear a hat and use sunscreen especially if you have thin or very short hair.

Wishing you the best summer ever – hope to see you soon. In the meantime, stay healthy, happy and hydrated.