Tips on Keeping Grass Green During the Summer

In the summer, we want our lawns to look their absolute best. However, this is also when they experience the most stress. Drought and high temperatures pose a threat to our meticulously tended, luxuriantly green lawns. Increased foot traffic from pets and children causes more deterioration than we would want. Warm weather can lead to pest and disease problems. All of these things might cause our once-green lawns to become brown and parched.

Even while hot and dry weather is unavoidable, a brown grass is not. Obviously, some homeowners like the brown grass and allow it to lay dormant over the summer. While this is a healthy alternative for your lawn, most people like to maintain their grass green throughout the summer. Keeping grass green throughout the summer is a simple operation. With some strategic watering and mowing strategies and the correct equipment and supplies, you can keep your lawn green from spring through fall.

How to Maintain a Green Lawn in the Summer

Be more conscious of your watering practices

Watering practices

One of the most important things you can do to maintain a healthy lawn is to water it properly. Mishandled, turf will suffer under the scorching sun and lose its healthy, verdant appearance. Here are some strategies to follow to ensure that your grass receives sufficient moisture:

Soak the Grass During Dry Periods: In the summer, there may be weeks between rainfalls. Grass will go dormant during dry periods to conserve energy. It may appear brown or tan in hue and dry. This is the plant’s defense mechanism against drought, and it will typically recover in the autumn when the weather becomes cooler and wetter. Regular irrigation in the summer helps avoid dormancy and help your turf produce deep roots that can withstand the summer heat. For optimal results, attempt to emulate the pattern of rainfall when watering. This involves watering the lawn seldom. Deep but infrequent watering of grass will help to saturate the root zone, resulting in deeper roots and a stronger plant. In general, you should water your lawn three to four times each week, applying around one inch of water every week. This will result in a healthier lawn than everyday irrigation.

Water in the Morning: The most advantageous time to water is in the early morning. To minimize water loss due to evaporation, it is ideal to water between 6 and 10 a.m. If you water your lawn in the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest point in the sky, it will receive less benefit because some of the water will evaporate before the grass can absorb it. It is also essential to water when the sun is out so that the grass may undergo photosynthesis. If you water at night, the grass will not be able to absorb and utilize the water adequately. In addition, the increased humidity may contribute to the spread of disease.

Be Aware of Where the Water Is Going: To prevent wasting time and money, keep a constant check on your lawn as you water it. Avoid runoff and wetting the pavement or paths. If you observe water beginning to run off or form puddles, it may be time to relocate your sprinkler. If runoff happens before your grass has had a chance to properly absorb the water, turn off the water for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the water to soak in. Attempt again. Numerous homeowners waste water by inadvertently watering their driveways, sidewalks, and other paths. Attempt to direct all water toward your lawn. Consider purchasing an adjustable sprinkler that is suitable for your lawn’s size and shape.

Avoid Watering in the Rain: This may seem like an obvious recommendation, but if you have an automatic sprinkler system, watering in the rain is an easy error to do. Instead, maintain a flexible watering schedule. Plan to switch off your watering system when rain is predicted, and be prepared to resume your normal watering plan once the weather improves.

Don’t Use Hot Water: When a hose is left in the sun with water still inside, the water can become sufficiently hot to scorch the grass. Empty your hose after each use to avoid damaging your grass with very hot water.

Mow tall

Mow tall

Set your lawn mower to a high setting so that the grass is approximately 3 inches tall. Taller grass blades provide more shade for the root system of your lawn, keeping it cooler during the hot summer months. Additionally, taller grass blades produce deeper, more robust roots.

Put fertilizer

The usual rule of thumb recommended by landscape professionals is to fertilize your lawn every six weeks. Using conventional fertilizers, you may discover that this leads your grass to grow too quickly. A fertilizer with a nitrogen level between 10 and 14 can keep your lawn green while preventing excessive growth. Utilizing a mulching mower also contributes to the natural fertilization of the lawn by returning the nutrients in the grass clippings to the soil. Ensure that the fertilizer is applied evenly and sparingly. An excess of fertilizer might turn the grass brown.

Maintaining

Maintaining your lawn in the summer can also help keep its green tint. When your pets defecate on the lawn, they essentially over fertilize it with the nitrogen in their urine. If you observe yellow or bare patches in areas where your pets frequently walk, overseed them to maintain their condition. Summer also increases the amount of foot traffic on your lawn. Heavy foot traffic, particularly on damp soil, can result in soil compaction, preventing air from reaching the grass roots. If at all possible, you should steer clear of stepping on the grass.

Eliminate the weeds

Eliminating weeds

Taking care of weeds on your lawn as soon as they appear is superior and more successful than spraying the entire area with weed killer. This can be accomplished by hand or with a weeding fork. In addition, removing weeds as soon as they germinate needs less effort than removing established plants. Herbicides should be used as a last option.

Tend to summertime lawn pests

During the summer, do you ever wonder how to make your grass greener and thicker? During the summer, insects such as chafer grubs and leather jackets are the most prevalent source of bald spots on your grass. If you notice birds pecking at your lawn or that the soil is disturbed and appears to have been tilled, this is an indication that your grass is infected with pests.

Purchasing nematodes, microscopic organisms whose natural habitat is soil, is the easiest and most cost-effective technique to control pests. Increasing the population of nematodes allows you to eliminate lawn pests without the use of harmful chemicals. Simply follow the package’s instructions and overseed your grass if necessary.

Aerate the grass

Aerate the grass

Your lawn requires air as well as water. The cheapest and simplest way to accomplish this is to insert a garden fork into your lawn at 15-centimeter intervals. If your lawn is excessively huge, you may wish to hire a machine. A grass that has been adequately aerated will absorb water more efficiently, rather than allowing it to pool or run off.

To summarize

Summer is a difficult season for your lawn. The combination of intense sunlight and heat, increased foot traffic, water shortages, weeds, and pests can be damaging to your lawn’s health. Americans spend over $8.5 billion annually on lawn care services. Summer heat and stress can cause your grass to develop yellow spots or even turn brown, regardless of how much you spend on lawn care. However, a brown lawn does not necessarily indicate dead grass; cold season grasses lie dormant in the summer, turning brown as a defense against the heat, and turn green again in the fall as a result of the cooler temperatures. Despite the heat, there are steps that may be taken to ensure a lush, green grass.