Summer can be tough on your lawn. Between the high temperatures and potential drought stress, proper care and maintenance are essential for keeping your grass healthy and green throughout the season.
Smart Summer Watering
The heat of summer can make it more difficult and expensive to water your lawn properly. By keeping the grass mowed high with a sharp blade in early summer, your lawn can establish deeper roots that can more effectively seek out underground water. Watering deeply and less frequently can encourage the growth of deep roots. Aim to water long enough to reach a depth of 4 to 6 inches. Watering earlier in the morning, when temperatures are cooler and sunlight is less harsh, can reduce evaporation, allowing you to maximize the effectiveness of your watering efforts.
Be sure to watch for signs of overwatering, such as mushrooms or soggy soil, as well as underwatering, which is indicated by wilting and dry spots in your lawn.
Managing Heat and Drought Stress
Grass may naturally slow growth or go dormant in extreme heat. This is a natural survival response. It’s important to understand that brown doesn’t always mean dead, and dormancy is almost always temporary. However, it is vital to minimize foot traffic on dormant or stressed lawns to prevent further damage.
If you notice your lawn entering dormancy, avoid attempting to revive it with excessive water or fertilizer. Instead, focus on maintaining minimal, consistent moisture to protect the crown of the grass until cooler, wetter weather returns. When the stress period passes, most lawns will green up again.
Fertilizing in Summer
Cool-season grasses should be fertilized during their peak growing season, typically in the spring months when temperatures are cooler. If fertilizing your lawn in peak heat, this process should be done cautiously. Slow-release fertilizers, lighter feedings and lower nitrogen levels are ideal when doing this to maintain lawn health without burning. If your lawn is dormant, wait to fertilize until cooler weather returns. This is crucial to avoid over-fertilization and potential burn damage.
Overusing fertilizer or fertilizing without proper water during the summer season can cause burn damage. Too much fertilizer draws moisture from the grass, resulting in dry, scorched-looking blades. This often appears as yellow or brown streaks or overall browning of the lawn.
Weed Management
Both fertilizing and weed management can amplify summer stress if not done correctly. Be sure to carefully spot treat weeds in the summer months, as herbicides can stress or burn lawns in hot weather. Remember that strong spring care is essential for a successful summer, as healthy, thick lawns naturally crowd out weeds. Staying consistent with your mowing, weed management and lawn care efforts in the spring can lead to less labor during the warmer months.
Summer Mowing Best Practices
It is essential to maintain higher mowing heights during the summer months, as this can shade the soil, protect the roots and enhance watering efficiency. By shading the soil, taller mowing heights help reduce evaporation. This also shields the roots, allowing them to grow deeper and access groundwater more effectively. Make sure to keep mower blades sharp to prevent tearing the grass, as dull blades can damage the grass edges and cause them to lose moisture more quickly than a clean cut.
Never cut more than one-third of the grass blade at a time. Mowing too much can stress the grass, making it more susceptible to diseases, weeds and drought, and can also result in a brown or uneven appearance.
Get in touch with our team
For specific, personalized advice on caring for your lawn and managing summer stressors, please contact our Buffalo Brand Seed team at [email protected] or call our office at 970-356-4710. We look forward to hearing from you to discuss your lawn goals and “Help You Grow… One Seed At a Time.”
