Getting Your Landscape Ready for Summer: Essential Tips for a Vibrant Yard

Western Chicago summers can be beautiful—but they can also be tough on your lawn and garden. With rising temperatures, bursts of rain, and increased outdoor activity, your landscape needs to be in top shape to stay healthy and look great. Here's a deeper dive into everything you should do now to prepare your yard for a successful summer.

1. Start with a Spring Cleanup

After a long winter and a rainy spring, debris like dead leaves, twigs, and leftover mulch can smother your lawn and garden beds. Clearing this clutter not only makes your yard look neater but also allows sunlight and air to reach the soil, which is vital for root health. It's also your first line of defense against pests and plant diseases that thrive in damp, neglected corners of your yard.

Bonus tip: Check for compacted soil or signs of mold or fungus under old mulch and debris. These can cause issues if left unaddressed into the summer.

2. Refresh Your Mulch

Mulching does more than improve your landscape’s appearance—it helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature, all critical during summer’s hottest days. A 2–3 inch layer around plants, trees, and shrubs acts like insulation and cuts down your watering needs significantly.

Choose organic mulch like bark, wood chips, or shredded leaves, which also add nutrients to the soil as they decompose.

3. Check and Tune Up Your Irrigation System

As summer heat intensifies, water becomes your lawn's most valuable resource. Test your irrigation system early to ensure everything is working properly. Look for broken sprinkler heads, misaligned nozzles, or dripping connections. Even small issues can lead to dry patches or water waste.

Efficiency tip: Consider upgrading to a smart irrigation system that adjusts watering based on weather data. Skyline Exteriors can help with this upgrade if you want a water-saving solution.

4. Fertilize Strategically

Summer demands a different fertilization approach. Use a slow-release fertilizer designed for warm-weather growth. This gives your lawn and plants the nutrients they need over time, instead of one big boost that could burn your turf or foliage in the heat.

For lawns, look for fertilizers with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) ratio tailored to summer growth. Always water the area after applying to help nutrients absorb into the soil.

5. Trim and Prune for Shape and Health

Early summer is the perfect time to prune trees, shrubs, and hedges. Removing dead or diseased branches helps prevent the spread of disease, and shaping shrubs keeps your landscape tidy. Pruning also improves air circulation through your plants, which can reduce fungal problems in humid weather.

When pruning, make clean cuts just above a bud or branching point to encourage healthy new growth.

6. Plant Summer Color

Add seasonal interest to your landscape with vibrant summer flowers. Choose heat-tolerant varieties that thrive in full sun and require minimal upkeep. Black-eyed Susans, zinnias, coneflowers, marigolds, and petunias are great choices for the Western Chicago climate.

Plant in clusters for impact, and don’t forget to include pollinator-friendly options to attract butterflies and bees.

7. Don’t Forget Your Lawn

Your lawn will likely be the most-used part of your yard during summer, so give it some TLC:

• Mowing: Set your mower blade high (3–4 inches) to shade the soil and reduce evaporation.

• Watering: Deep, infrequent watering encourages strong roots. Early morning is the best time to water.

• Spot Treatment: Fix bare spots with grass seed and soil, or apply a summer-safe weed killer to problem areas.
  

Regular mowing, edging, and trimming go a long way in keeping your lawn crisp and healthy all summer.

8. Plan for Outdoor Living

Summer is the season for outdoor living—don’t let worn-out hardscaping ruin the vibe. Walk through your space and assess:

• Are patio stones or pavers uneven or stained?

• Is your deck splintering or in need of sealing?

• Could your garden use a firepit, new seating area, or lighting for nighttime enjoyment?
  

Skyline Exteriors can help with upgrades, repairs, and new installations that match your style and enhance your yard’s usability and value.

Final Thoughts: Prep Now, Enjoy All Season

When you prepare your landscape early in the season, you spend less time dealing with problems later. Whether it’s freshening up mulch, tuning your irrigation, or getting expert help on lawn care or design, Skyline Exteriors is here to make your yard summer-ready.

Contact us today to schedule your summer prep services—we’ll make sure your landscape is ready to shine all season long.