August Yard Prep Checklist: 7 Lawn & Landscape Tasks for Shreveport Homeowners

August in Shreveport, Louisiana, can be one of the toughest months of the year for your lawn and landscape. High temperatures, intense sunlight, and periods of dry weather can put serious stress on grass, shrubs, trees, and landscape beds.

The good news? A little attention now can help your property stay healthier through the remainder of summer while setting your landscape up for a stronger fall.

Use this August yard prep checklist from Lawnmasters to identify problems, protect your landscape, and start planning improvements to your outdoor space.

1. Water Your Lawn Wisely

During the hottest part of a Louisiana summer, how you water can be just as important as how much you water.

Whenever possible, water deeply in the early morning. Early watering allows moisture to reach the root zone before afternoon temperatures increase evaporation. Deep, less frequent watering can also encourage a stronger root system compared with frequent, shallow watering.

Avoid automatically adding more water simply because temperatures are high. Overwatering can create its own lawn and landscape problems.

If you're unsure whether your property is getting the right amount of water, Lawnmasters provides professional irrigation and water management services in Shreveport and surrounding areas.

2. Check Your Irrigation System

August is an excellent time to inspect your sprinkler system because irrigation problems become much more noticeable during hot, dry conditions.

Walk your property while your irrigation system is operating and watch for:

• Broken or damaged sprinkler heads
• Water spraying onto sidewalks or driveways
• Dry areas that aren't receiving enough coverage
• Excessively wet or soggy areas
• Leaks or pooling water
• Sprinkler heads blocked by plants or grass
• Uneven watering between zones

Brown spots aren't always caused by a lack of fertilizer or unhealthy grass. Sometimes, poor sprinkler coverage is the real culprit.

Learn more about Lawnmasters irrigation services.

3. Stay Ahead of Summer Weeds

Weeds compete with desirable turf for water, nutrients, sunlight, and growing space. Keeping weeds under control during late summer helps your lawn maintain a cleaner, healthier appearance.

It's also a good time to evaluate the overall condition of your turf. Proper nutrition throughout the growing season can play an important role in maintaining healthy grass.

Explore Lawnmasters' lawn fertilization services.

4. Prune and Tidy Overgrown Landscaping

Louisiana's long growing season can produce plenty of summer growth. By August, shrubs and landscape beds may look noticeably overgrown.

Selective trimming can help maintain a neat appearance, improve visibility around your property, and prevent plants from overtaking walkways or other landscape features.

Trees may need attention as well, particularly when there are dead, damaged, or problematic branches. Because pruning requirements vary by tree species and condition, larger tree work is best evaluated by professionals.

Learn about Lawnmasters' tree pruning and removal services.

5. Refresh Your Landscape Beds and Mulch

Take a close look at your landscape beds. Has mulch thinned out, washed away, or started looking tired?

Maintaining an appropriate layer of mulch can help retain soil moisture, moderate soil temperatures, protect plant roots, and give landscape beds a fresh appearance.

August is also a good opportunity to identify shrubs, beds, and other landscape areas that could benefit from professional attention.

Explore Lawnmasters' landscape design and shrub and bed care services.

6. Start Planning Fall Landscape Projects

You don't have to wait until fall to start thinking about fall improvements.

Walk around your property and make a list of projects you've been considering. Maybe you'd like new landscape beds, refreshed plantings, improved hardscapes, or a completely updated outdoor space.

Planning ahead gives you time to determine what you'd like to change and develop a cohesive design rather than making one improvement at a time.

See how Lawnmasters can help with your next landscaping project.

7. Evaluate Your Entire Outdoor Space

Finally, look at your property as a whole.

Are there dark areas where landscape lighting could improve the appearance of your home after sunset? Are there areas with poor drainage? Is your irrigation system reaching everything it should? Have certain landscape beds become outdated or difficult to maintain?

Late summer is a great time to identify what is—and isn't—working.

For homeowners interested in improving nighttime curb appeal, Lawnmasters also offers professional outdoor landscape lighting.

Need Help With Your August Yard Checklist?

Maintaining a beautiful lawn and landscape through a Shreveport summer can involve much more than mowing the grass. Irrigation, fertilization, pruning, landscape maintenance, and thoughtful planning all contribute to the long-term appearance of your property.

Lawnmasters has seven specialized divisions ready to help keep your property looking its best, from routine lawn maintenance and irrigation to landscape construction, outdoor lighting, fertilization, tree services, and holiday lighting.

Whether you need help solving a current lawn problem or you're ready to start planning your next outdoor project, contact Lawnmasters today.