Some say the grass is always greener on the other side, but it doesn’t have to be! While this adage has a deeper philosophical meaning about perspective, it can also apply to our actual grass. How often have you looked at a neighbor’s lawn and wondered what they did to make it appear green and lush? Many of us have been envious of someone else’s lawn at one point, but turning your lawn into a picture-perfect paradise is easier than you might imagine with these three strategies! DON’T MOW TOO LOW! One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when trying to keep their lawns tidy is mowing too low. They think they won’t have to do it as often if they mow lower. While this is true, you’re actively preventing your grass from being as healthy as possible. Cutting your grass short creates stress and reduces its density, creating the perfect breeding ground for invasive weeds. Common weeds like crabgrass depend on sunlight to grow. Leaving your grass at a higher length will prevent these weeds from getting much-needed sunlight. Ideally, you want to cut your grass so it’s between 2–4 inches tall. DON’T DROWN YOUR LAWN! Grass needs water to survive, so it should thrive if we give it an overabundance, right? Overwatering your grass damages the root system by depriving it of oxygen and key nutrients. Over time, your grass will weaken and become the perfect home for pests and fungi. Instead, you should provide your lawn with around 1 inch of water weekly. Most lawns will need about 20 minutes of watering 3–4 times per week to receive the proper amount. DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE SOIL! You need more than just dirt and water to make your lawn stand out from the rest. Adding a layer of weed-free compost will give your lawn the organic matter and microorganisms it needs to remain healthy. In most cases, you won’t even need to fertilize if your lawn has a solid layer of healthy soil. Try These Simple Lawn Care Hacks THE ENVY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Many pet owners enjoy taking their animals along on errands. But even those with the best of intentions can underestimate the hazards of leaving a pet unattended in a parked vehicle while they take care of business. Protect Your Pet From Deadly Heat HH a o z t a C r a d r !
More than 111 pets died from heat-related causes in 2024 because of their owners’ neglect, and 388 were rescued, according to People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals. Far more cases probably went unreported. Among numerous cases in Colorado, several dogs died in hot cars, and a puppy was rescued from a vehicle where the interior temperature had risen to 117 degrees.
A car is a metal box that turns into an oven in the summer heat. The temperature inside can rise by 20 degrees Fahrenheit in 10 minutes and nearly 30 degrees in 20 minutes. And the temperature continues to rise the longer you leave your pet unattended, surpassing the temperature outside by 40 degrees or more. Even on a balmy 70-degree day, the temperature inside your car could be 110 degrees or more. Dogs and cats cannot cool themselves by sweating. They have only a small number of sweat glands in their paws and must rely on panting instead. Cracking a window, parking in the shade, or leaving a water bowl in your vehicle isn’t enough to prevent heatstroke. Symptoms in dogs include exaggerated panting, drooling, an anxious or glassy-eyed expression, weakness, muscle tremors, convulsions, vomiting, or collapse, leading to permanent organ damage and death. Older pets suffer more in heat, and so do dogs with broad, short noses, such as pugs and bulldogs, because they cannot pant as effectively as other animals. Thirty-one states have enacted laws aimed at reducing this kind of suffering among pets. Colorado is among eight states that protect a person who breaks into a locked vehicle to rescue an endangered pet from civil or criminal liability. The Good Samaritan must first try to find the owner and also call 9-1-1 before breaking into the vehicle. Average annual temperatures in our state have risen by 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit since 1980, increasing the risk of heatstroke among pets. If you must bring your pet along on errands or other trips, keep them with you or plan for them to relax in a shaded area outside your vehicle. Just a few simple precautions can prevent a tragedy!
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