Disclosure: this post was written in collaboration with Gardena, all opinions are my own.

We are so ready for summer, are you? After such a hard winter here in PA, the sun is shining and the grass is growing. To keep your grass from turning brown, getting patchy spots, and keeping the weeds away, here are 7 ways to get your yard ready for summer.

With these tips you are set up to have a lush, green, lawn in no time. Here are some of our most cost-effective ways to keep your lawn looking perfect this summer.

Our Lawn

Winter drags on in Pennsylvania, we still have snow well into April and May. This can make prepping your lawn in spring for summer months. For us we usually can’t start lawn maintenance until the end of May. We usually find a quick-release fertilizer.

This will get to the roots and green up your yard within a few days usually. You need to be careful as if you use too much in one space, it can kill your grass.

1: Cleaning Your Lawn

This is the first step you need to get your lawn looking good. Walk around your lawn and collect any twigs, branches, and debris that may have gathered over the winter.

Be sure to rake your debris into piles, and make sure your lawn is dry. You don’t want to walk around on a soggy lawn, it can damage the soil and roots.

By following these next five steps you can keep your lawn looking good, avoiding weeds, and protect it from the heat.

2: Cutting Your Grass

Once you have cleaned your yard, it is time to cut your grass. When spring rolls around your grass will be growing faster, and have more leaf development. So it is important to remove the thatch or mat mat layer. This can easily be done by moving at least twice a week. Be careful you do not severely cut your lawn, just take the top off. One helpful hint is to make sure your lawn mower blades are sharp.

My husband loves this time of year, and especially cutting our grass. Since he retired from the military, three years ago, yard work is where he is happiest. He has always been a tech guy, and loves to automate things inside the home, and create more efficient ways to do things.

We have a Roomba inside our house, so when I found out about the Gardena Robotic lawnmower SILENO city, 250 m2, I knew he would be a huge fan. This was a happy day when this beauty arrived, it was like watching a kid unwrap a present on Christmas Day. He certainly was a kid in a candy store with his new Gardena Robotic lawnmower.

To say it was a happy day to come home to this giant box, is an understatement.

It was packaged so well, and everything was already put together which was an amazing bonus.

The only thing we had to assemble was the base and that was super quick.

The owner’s manual explained what we needed to do step-by-step, and was easy to follow along with.

Installing the Boundary Wire

Me and my hubby installed the boundary wire. This perimeter helps keep the Gardena mower from planning an escape to the neighbors yard. It helps define the given area that we want to be cut, and where the mower needs to cut.

The boundary wire clips right into the home base, and we staked the wire around the yard and back into the terminal. Gardena includes a ton of plastic stakes in the box that you secure the boundary wire with. This was probably the most time consuming part of the project.

We worked our way all around the yard, until we looped back to the home base. The home base looks cool, and blends right into our lawn. We set it up right next to our garage.

Test Run

I could not believe how quiet the Gardena Robotic lawnmower SILENO city is. This lawnmower navigated around the lawn, while tackling the narrowest spaces and tightest corners. It is also pretty cool, that come rain or shine it can keep our grass cut and looking great. The Gardena SILENO city is so simple to keep clean. You simply spray with the garden hose!

Want to know the best part? You can control it using the SILENO city with the GARDENA Bluetooth® App from up to 10 m. This includes EasyApp Control, auto schedule, and easy configuration for easy installation and use with zero fuss.

3: Aerate Your Lawn

Now it is time to aerate your lawn. Once you have cut your lawn, remove the thatch and moss. Large layers of thatch can limit the movement of air, water, fertilizer, and other nutrients that your grass needs. This part is a must for your lawn maintenance. Long-term your lawn will be much happier, so don’t skip this step friends.

4: Dressing Your Lawn

Think of this as a way of feeding your lawn, and giving your lawn the antibiotics it has been craving. You can apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent weeds.

This is a very important step, you need to add a top coat to your lawn to help prevent weeds, and maintain water in the warmer months. It also keeps the soil moist and will increase growth. Always check with your local nursery, they can help you find the one that is appropriate for your region.

The Gardena Robotic lawnmower SILENO city has a Mulch Function, which allows small grass clippings, left behind by the mower, to provide shade that supports moisture retention and protection from the sun. These clippings also turn into fertilizer that enrich the soil with nutrients.

5: Fill in Your Holes

You will want to treat any bare or balding spots with grass seed in the spring. This way by summer they will have grass growth. Usually within two weeks of adding seed you should see grass sprouts.

6: Look For Weeds

Be sure you are using the right fertilizer and composts on your lawn. This will help keep weeds at bay, and your grass growing strong. When your grass is strong, weeds won’t survive.

7: Irrigate Your Lawn

Let’s talk about water! My tip is to water slowly, deeply, and infrequently. You should water at least two times a week. Do not water every single day. Watering daily can actually make your lawn at risk of diseases. By watering just a few times a week, it will keep the roots growing strong.

Don’t be discouraged, getting your lawn ready for summer can definitely be a process. The reward is amazing when you have a beautiful lush green lawn all summer long. It is so worth the regular maintenance you put into it. We hope these 7 ways to get your yard ready for summer are helpful.

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Be sure to check out our 5 Ways To Clean Up Your Garden For Summer!

7 ways to get your yard ready for summer