Wow! Over a week of 100 degree high temperatures, scant little rain and we are only at the first week of July. Thus, if you follow my lawn fertilization schedule, this is the normal time of the year for the summer application. But because of the excessive heat and lack or rain, it does beg the question: Do I still put down the summer fertilizer application?

Yes!

Thanks for listening and we'll see you next week!

Yeah, you're right it's not that simple. Still, if you have been following the schedule and your lawn is otherwise healthy (because you have a decent irrigation program) then keep following the schedule. What many of you may not know or understand is that a truly healthy yard is its own great defense against drought conditions. And the only way to keep a yard healthy is to keep adding nutrients. However, this is not something that has a "blanket" answer. There are some caveats and some clarification points that many people really do need to take in to consideration. Thus, maybe the real is answer is a QUALIFIED YES to following the schedule during these trying weather times.

So, based on the overwhelming number of email questions on this subject, I will try to answer all the different scenarios in this week's email tip. Of course, if your situation has even more caveats or massage points, please don't hesitate to call the radio show this weekend. Yes, we will be doing GardenLine live this 4th of July weekend.

• If you have an irrigation system, and it's working well, you should stay on schedule.
• The hyper-watering/irrigation is causing a depletion of soil nutrition at a faster pace than consistent rains would provide.
• If you are a hose-dragger, and consistent about your water, once again the lawns are probably in need of nutrients, because you're water more than Mother Nature would.
• Many irrigation systems have a higher level of Chlorine in the water, causing a depletion of nutrients and a marked yellowing also providing a need for a general feeding.
• If your irrigation system is not working well, then you can suspend and probably should suspend the schedule until it is fixed. Nitrogen-rich fertilizers (even organic ones) require a lot of water to help break down the fertilizer components.
• If you fertilizer and forget to water, you will likely burn the lawn.
• Now that we are starting to see some rains, you can wait for a shower to come through and put down the fertilizer per the schedule prior to a drenching rain.
• You can also wait a few days to a few weeks to do the summer fertilization, if you would like to see more rains in the forecast. Remember, we say often "It's Never Too Late to Do the Right Thing.
• If your lawn if healthy looking and/or greener than everyone else, you can also wait until the weather changes if you like.
• In areas where there was obvious drought stress, please consider Soil Activators or liquid organics to help soften the soil first, before any granular fertilizer application.

Again, if you have a different question, but on the same subject, you can try to email or please call in to the radio show this weekend (Yes, we are live this 4th of July!) and as always we can handle these situations on a case-by-base basis.