So, your lawn appears a bit brown during the summer, what’s your first instinct? Perhaps rushing to lay down some black dirt? Hold on a second, don’t rush into major changes just yet. What you’re likely seeing is your grass entering a state of ‘summer dormancy’—a natural survival trick when it’s scorching outside, not a sign that your lawn has died. Instead of fighting it the wrong way, why not learn a few summer lawn care tips? I’ve got six easy tricks to keep your lawn green during summer heat.
Understand Dormancy
Before diving into specific summer lawn treatment, it’s important to understand what’s happening to your grass during the hot months. One common summer phenomenon is dormancy, which occurs when the heat is intense and there's not enough rain to keep the lawn green all summer long. When your lawn goes dormant, it may shrivel up a little, fold over on itself, and stop growing or doing photosynthesis. The grass will eventually turn brown. But here’s the key point — it’s not dead, it’s just surviving.
So, how can you tell if your lawn is truly dead or just dormant? Here’s a simple test:
√ Grab a handful of grass.
√ Gently pull it out of the ground. If the grass comes out easily, it’s probably dead.
If it stays firmly rooted, it’s likely just dormant.
√ Check the base of the grass blade: If it’s still green and the roots are white, then your grass is alive, it’s just taking a nap, not gone for good.
Understanding this can save you a lot of unnecessary stress and help you make smarter decisions about watering, fertilizing, and caring for your lawn during the summer.
Essential Summer Lawn Care Tips
From setting the right mowing height to choosing the right fertilizer and staying on top of weeds and disease, check these essential summer lawn care tips to keep your yard in great shape all season long.
Proper Watering Practices
When summer hits and it’s hot and dry, you’ll need to water your lawn more often to keep it healthy. During other seasons, watering once every week or two might be enough, but in summer, aim for about once or twice a week, otherwise, your lawn might go dormant if it doesn’t get enough moisture. But don’t worry, once cooler weather or rain returns, your grass will start to bounce back.
A key tip: Water deeply — about ¾ to 1 inch at a time. If you don’t soak the soil enough, the roots will tend to grow up toward the surface where it’s cooler and easier to absorb moisture. That’s actually bad for your lawn because deeper roots help it survive the heat and access water stored in the soil’s water table.
Optimal Mowing Height
Never cut more than one-third of the grass height at once. For example, if your lawn is 3 inches tall, never cut more than 1 inch off the top. The same rule applies in summer, but you can even leave your grass a bit longer, the taller you mow, the deeper the roots will grow down into the soil, which helps your lawn stay healthier and more drought-resistant. Plus, taller grass shades the soil, keeping it cooler and reducing heat stress on the roots.
Here’s a fun fact: a thick, healthy lawn acts as a natural weed blocker, like crabgrass, which can be a real pain. But be careful, don’t let the grass get too tall, because that can attract small animals or insects to make nests or hide in it.
Fertilizing for Summer Strength
To fertilize lawn in summer is like feeding a marathon runner — steady fuel keeps it going strong. However, a lot of fertilizers in the stores are not good for your grass during the summer months, especially those high-nitrogen ones, which encourage your grass to grow like crazy. Looks great on the surface, but it actually drains the roots‘energy and leaves your lawn more vulnerable when the heat hits. So what should you do?Pick the ‘endurance formula’: Switch to slow-release fertilizer, which is the best grass fertilizer for summer. Think of them as nutrient “drips” that feed your lawn slowly over the season. And the grass clippings you mow off can also be a great natural fertilizer, as long as you mow regularly and keep a consistent schedule. It’s a simple, eco-friendly way to give back to your lawn.
Get a soil test first: Before you start dumping fertilizer, do a soil test. it’s like a blood work-up for your lawn. For about 30 bucks, it can save you hundreds in wasted fertilizer because you’ll know exactly what your lawn needs.
Reassess in the fall: As summer wraps up, check how your lawn recovers. Sometimes, a healthy lawn can bounce back on its own, so you might not need to overseed right away. Just give it time.
Controlling Weeds
Whether it’s your lawn, vegetable garden or rose bed, weeds are a hassle and tough to get rid of. When crabgrass or other weeds start popping up, you might be tempted to grab a summer weed and feed product. But if it’s around 80°F or hotter, it’s usually best to hold off. If you do decide to spray, always read the label. The surfactants in these products stick to weeds but can also harm healthy grass and plants.
Managing Lawn Diseases
Besides weeds, another big enemy of your lawn is diseases. To deal with lawn diseases without relying solely on fungicides, start by identifying any spots that might be infected and always mow those areas last. Besides, use a sharp blade when mowing, the cleaner the cut, the less likely your grass tips will get frayed and allow disease to sneak in. And don’t forget to rinse off your mower deck and blade after every mow. Why? Those clippings tend to collect underneath, creating a dark, damp environment that’s perfect for bacteria and fungi to breed.
Common Lawn Care Mistakes
So, those are some big ways to give your lawn a better summer. But wait, there's more! Here are 5 common lawn care mistakes you definitely want to skip if you want to keep your yard looking its best.
Watering your lawn during the hottest part of the day
Just like you wouldn’t water your plants in the middle of a hot noon, don’t water your lawn when the sun’s at its highest — most of that water will just evaporate before it has a chance to do anything. In fact, it’s almost like boiling your grass! Early mornings or evenings are better bets, so the water can really soak in and help your grass stay happy.
Applying black dirt on your dormant grass
As mentioned in the very beginning, putting black soil on a dormant lawn can hurt more than help. It can smother the grass or cause issues like fungus. Wait until your grass is actually active before adding soil.
Using herbicides when it’s super hot
Again, it’s not a good idea to spray weeds when it’s super hot — the chemicals can vaporize or damage your grass. Do it early in the morning or late in the day for best results.
Mowing in extreme heat
Cutting your grass during the hottest hours can really dry it out and make it turn brown. The best bet is to mow early in the morning or late in the evening when the lawn isn’t already stressed. But if you’d rather avoid working in those early or late hours, a robot mower can totally save the day. Some models, like the Navimow i105 Robotic Lawn Mower, come with smart apps that let you control everything right from your phone. You can set up mowing schedules to have it only work during cooler times, or even remotely control it to go to specific spots. Plus, you can monitor its progress in real-time while kicking back. Feels pretty good, right?
Cutting your grass too short during hot weather
You definitely want to follow the one-third rule, or even cut a bit higher in summer to help your lawn stay healthy through the heat. Mowing too low stresses out your grass, making it harder for it to handle the summer scorch. Keep the blades a little higher so the grass stays cooler, and the roots stay strong and healthy.
And here’s a cool tip: you can set this up with a robotic lawn mower! For example, you can use it to adjust the mowing height based on the grass clippings and conditions, so you don’t have to do it manually. It’s a smart way to keep your lawn in the best shape without extra effort.
Summer lawn care can be a bit more challenging than usual, but with these cool-season summer lawn tips, you and your grass should be able to get through it easily. Just sit back and relax — a healthy lawn will bounce back on its own once autumn arrives. You've got this!
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