12 Products to Keep Your Yard Growing Strong All Summer Long
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Photo: Sunday / Image Treatment: The Spruce
These days, our yards and front lawns are becoming extensions of our homes. Whether you’re all in on organic, wildflower lawns or prefer a more manicured look, it’s likely your plants and grass need a boost from time to time.
With help and guidance from Paige Boyle, a natural scientist at Sunday, we rounded up great lawn care products and accessories to help get you a head start on your lawn for the summer. While it can be tempting to pop into the grocery store and grab whatever label looks best, Boyle says thorough research avoids spending more on your lawn long term.
“Opting for high-quality products, especially in your lawn and garden, is beneficial for plant resiliency, cost-effectiveness, and the environment,” Boyle says. “When you purchase higher quality products, you’re going to yield better results and require less upkeep over time.”
Ready to grow the lawn of your dreams? Scroll on for products that will help you achieve it.
Paige Boyle is the natural scientist at Sunday, a company that uses plant science and customized plans to give your lawn the nutrients it needs, cultivating rich soil for a healthy lawn.
Sunday DIY Landscaper Kit
This is the perfect starter kit. This set from Sunday is a great way to equip yourself with all you need to establish your garden and keep your yard thriving. Your lawn is only as great as the sum of its parts, and for the team at Sunday, plants and grass should be the main focus.
“For years, aerating the home lawn has been a go-to practice, but we actually don’t recommend that unless it’s absolutely necessary to resolve extremely compacted soils,” Boyle says. “Instead, it’s best to disturb the soil as little as possible and focus on planting grass in your backyard to resolve these issues.”
OIZEN Leather Gardening Gloves
Even if you're careful about the ingredients you apply to your lawn and plants, safety first. Gardening gloves are a must-have for protecting your skin, and we love the lemon print on this heavy-duty pair.
Sunday Lucky Lawn Grass Seed
If you need to seed your lawn for the summer, it’s time to start considering your plan of attack. In fact, depending on your local temperature, the time could be now. Regardless of when you seed, Boyle warns that the seeds you use are incredibly important, too, and that's why investing in great grass seed is essential.
“There are high-quality and high-performing seed varieties and extremely low-quality and poor-performing varieties,” Boyle says. “Opting for higher quality grass seed that has been tested for resiliency to challenging conditions or low watering environments is vital to growing a healthy lawn."
Temperature is key when it comes to seeding your lawn, according to Boyle. For cool-season lawns, seed when day and night temperatures consistently hold between 50-85 degrees F. For warm-season lawns, wait to seed until late spring to mid-summer when temps consistently hold above 70-95 degrees.
American Lawn Mower Company 14-Inch Manual Reel Mower
Along with choosing the correct seed, Boyle also tells us that mowing correctly is important, too. She taught us that mowing actually helps grass spread out across the lawn.
"When grasses are mowed, it doesn’t allow the grass to flower or set seed and encourages the grass to spread out across the lawn, she explains. "So, when you mow properly, you’re actually helping to grow more grass across your lawn.”
This doesn't mean you need a giant lawnmower to ride on—you don't even need to get one that's motorized. In fact, if environmental effects are on your mind, a small push mower is a fabulous alternative, and this one has thousands of great reviews.
Vigoro Hand Spot Shaker/Hand Spreader
Maybe you don't have the space for a mower, or maybe you're all in on this season's organic, wildflower lawn trend. In that case, consider a hand-powered seed spreader to help do the job when a mower isn't an option.
2WAYZ Heavy-Duty Hose Splitter
Once you've seeded your lawn, even after you've spread your seeds around, your job isn't done. Boyle says that lawns require follow-up care to ensure establishment success. This heavy-duty faucet splitter can help you water large lawns more efficiently, and extend your reach.
Boyle explains that after you overseed your lawn, make sure to keep the soil moist (watering about 1-2 times daily) and stay off the delicate growing grass. Do this until the grass reaches two inches in height and is ready to mow, then you can return to watering 1-3 times per week.
Sunday Bare Repair Sun + Shade for Weed Control
If you’re looking to control the weeds sprouting up in your backyard, Boyle says Sunday’s Bare Repair Sun + Shade is a must-have for areas of sun & shade.
“Weeding your lawn isn’t just about controlling weeds—it's a two-step process to prevent weeds long term,” Boyle explains. “After applying weed control, wait for the product to work and remove the plant, but don’t leave the bare spot. Instead, seed into weeded areas with a premium seed repair to rebuild quality turf that’s able to outcompete weeds.”
Sunday Pet Lawn Bare Repair
Pets are known for causing bare spots on your lawn, but all hope is not lost. Boyle recommends this Bare Repair formula specifically for homes with pets.
Whatever you use, take this suggestion as a reminder to shop for lawn care products with your pets and little ones in mind. Always read the label, as it's important to know what is in the products you buy as well as how to properly apply it before purchasing.
Bird Twig Leaf Rake for Gardening
Leaf-covered yards are a dream when the temps are high, but leaf management can get unwieldy fast—yes, even months before autumn. While leaf blowers have become increasingly popular, they're notoriously harmful to the environment and just downright noisy. Instead, keep a lightweight rake on hand and make it a point to tidy up daily rather than saving it for one giant leaf collection.
Sunday Dandelion Doom Herbicide Spot Treatment (2-pack)
If dandelions are sprouting up all over the place, don’t panic. Boyle assures us Sunday has a solution for this—but you also need to step away from the blanket herbicide. Utilizing ‘weed n’ feeds’ or pre-emergent herbicides is a long-term practice in lawns that should be curbed, Boyle says. Instead, pick a spot treatment and apply it specifically to your problem areas as needed.
Boyle says this is also a rule of thumb to follow in most areas of lawn care. She recommends looking for products with targeted applications, which means you’re only applying product where it is needed and avoiding over-application or wasteful applications.
Sunday Custom Lawn Plan
Just like every home is different, so is every lawn. Depending on your needs, your family, and your pets, different products are going to help you get the job done. That’s why Sunday offers well-priced custom lawn plans to get you started. Sunday’s custom lawn plans are designed to do just that: simply add your zip code, and Sunday does the work for you, suggesting products that are tailored to your area and growing zone.
“We encourage homeowners to transform and design a yard that fits their needs and their environment,” says Boyle. “For those that desire some lawn, it’s great to learn how to grow grass that is more self-sustaining and requires less fertilizer, water, and pesticides."
WORX WG163 GT 20V Power Share Cordless String Trimmer & Edger
Lawnmowers are great, but unless you're into letting certain areas grow wild, you probably still need something to clean up hard-to-reach spots. This edger is perfect for trimming up around the bases of trees, handling sloped terrain, or keeping your walking paths well-defined.
Read Next:How to Plant Grass Seed: An Easy Guide
