School’s out and Summer is underway! Enjoying your lawn throughout the summer can be as relaxing and wonderful as you want it to be. Summer is the time for enjoying your family and the beautiful weather we have in Northwest Indiana. Here’s a list of tips to check off on your Summer list to enjoy your space.

PRUNING SEASON

In the Spring, you cleanup your landscape and prep it for the growing season. Now that Summer has hit, many of your plants have bloomed and flushed out and are now ready to be pruned back into shape.

Ricci Landscape Management provides Summer Pruning services to help maintain and keep your landscape looking amazing. Our technicians will prune hedges, groundcover, small ornamental trees, shrubs and trees less than 12’ according to the species. They will also perform selective hand pruning and shearing in order to complete the necessary rejuvenation pruning needed for certain plants.

SCHEDULE YOUR MIDSEASON CHECK

Summer temperatures in Northwest Indiana can reach into the 90s, with periods of hot, dry weather that can stress your lawn. While average rainfall is around 3-4 inches per month, rainfall can be inconsistent, meaning irrigation may be necessary to supplement.

Adjusting your watering schedule not only conserves water, but also ensures your lawn gets the right amount of moisture, encouraging deep root growth and drought tolerance. Lawns typically need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week in the spring and even more in the summer months.

Our team at RLM can help you get your system adjusted properly with a Midseason Check. The technician will carefully run through your system to confirm there is nothing broken and evaluate any issues that arise. Once that is complete, a new watering schedule will be setup to ensure proper watering is happening throughout the hot summer months.

The Midseason Check is also the perfect time to discuss a Hydrawise WIFI Irrigation controller. Hydrawise takes the guess work out and offers predictive watering solutions, based on local weather data (like rainfall, temperature, humidity, and wind) to automatically adjust watering schedules. This helps save water and ensures plants aren’t over- or under-watered. By adjusting watering based on forecast and actual weather conditions, Hydrawise can significantly reduce water usage—often by 30–50% compared to traditional controllers.

PAY ATTENTION TO CHANGES IN THE LAWN AND REQUEST A SITE VISIT WITH A MEMBER OF OUR TURF TEAM

Fungal Diseases like brown patch, dollar spot, and summer patch are common in our region, especially during hot, humid months. Watch for irregular patches, discolored blades, or powdery coatings on your grass.

To help prevent these issues:

Mow at the recommended height (usually 3–3.5 inches for cool-season grasses) and alternate mowing patterns.
Keep mower blades sharp – for best results sharpen twice a year. Your local Ace Hardware store will be happy to sharpen and balance blades on your mower.
Avoid overwatering.
Spot something unusual? Our local lawn care team can help diagnose and treat lawn diseases before they spread.
RLM, Inc. offers a 4-step program to help prevent turf diseases or stop the spread if it is present on your lawn.

FALL AERATION & OVERSEEDING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

From time to time your yard needs a little TLC. If you have never Aerated and Overseeded before, now is the time start signing up. Fall in Northwest Indiana is the best time to Aerate and Overseed your lawn for optimal results.

Aeration will break up the compacted soils that prevent proper air, water and nutrient circulation throughout your lawn. With lawn aeration, you can also address excess lawn thatch growth and debris found beneath the grass’s surface that can starve the roots. Regularly aerating your lawn, will help your lawn experience the following benefits:

Increased air flow to grass roots
Stronger, denser grass roots for better heat and drought tolerance.
Reduced water runoff and pooling.
Better disease and thatch buildup resistance over time.

Taking your yard one step further, our crew can Overseed your lawn with our high-quality grass seed. Overseeding is the process of planting grass seed directly into existing turf to fill in bare spots and revitalize lawns that show signs of stress after warm and dry summers. With overseeding services, you can also improve your lawn’s density, establish healthier grass varieties, and enhance the color of your grass.

When you signup, ask our office about the Mirimichi Soil Treatment. Investing in this treatment may seem costly at first, but the long-term advantages for your lawn are undeniable. By enhancing the soil’s pH levels, this treatment fosters a more conducive environment for root development, leading to a lusher and healthier lawn. Over time, the benefits will far outweigh the initial expense, resulting in a vibrant and resilient yard that you’ll be proud to showcase.

FALL PLANTING & LANDSCAPING

If you’re you have been considering sprucing up your landscape, adding some plants, tackling a drainage problem, adding a water feature, or a whole overhaul, now is absolutely the time to reach out to RLM to have a conversation with one of our landscape designers.

Our skilled team will collaborate with you to evaluate the project and develop a design that perfectly suits your needs. Planning in advance will reserve your place on our schedule before the end of the season to ensure that your projects are complete before winter hits.

Contact RLM Today For Summer Landscaping in Indiana

Request a quote from RLM to explore how our outstanding landscaping installation and maintenance services can completely transform and sustain your outdoor space. With our expertise and passion for landscaping, we are dedicated to helping you realize your vision and create the perfect outdoor environment. Let us partner with you to enhance your landscape and ensure it thrives for years to come.

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