4 Tips to Help Your Lawn Beat the Heat

  1. Check Mower Blades:  Sharpen blades if necessary and set them on the highest setting during the summer months. Longer grass allows the growth of longer roots, which can reach down for moisture even on hot, dry days.
  2. Feed Grass Regularly: Within 6-8 weeks of feeding, microbes in the soil have processed most of the nutrients for your lawn to absorb. You need to replenish these nutrients with another feeding. A well-fed lawn grows in thick, crowding out weeds and cooling the soil, which helps it handle the heat. If your lawn has gone dormant, however, hold off on feeding until rain revives it.
  3. Water Lawn Early: Water as early as possible in the morning, between 6AM and 10AM, to help reduce wasteful evaporation, and be sure to water deeply and infrequently. Frequent, shallow watering encourages grass to grow short roots, causing the grass to stress out during droughts. An inch of water a week serves as a good rule of thumb for keeping your lawn green during the hot summer.
  4. Look for Fatigue: Hot days can leave bare spots and thin areas around the lawn. New grass varieties have been developed to be able to handle scorching heat and stay healthy. Tall fescue mixes are great for lawns subjected to scorching sun and high heat, and many thrive in harsh summer conditions. The best time to reseed lawns with a tall fescue mix is in fall or early spring when conditions are optimal for grass growth.