We all love summer, as a kid, I remember running around in the sprinkler on our lawn. It’s the best time to sit back and relax, enjoy the pool parties and barbeques, but whilst the summer heat can be enjoyable, it can also have a MAJOR impact on the greenery of your grass.
As an adult with my own grass to maintain, I find it increasingly hard to keep that bad boy green, especially in the heat of summer.
And it’s not just me!
So many people struggle to keep their lawns lush and green all year round, their grass turning patchy and crunchy as the summer season goes on.
Well, worry not, my friend!
Read on to discover the best tips and tricks to maintain that green lawn that you worked so hard to achieve!
Following these TOP tips will mean the difference between a soft dense lawn and a brown crunchy patch.
Contents
- Step One: Water Your Lawn
- Step Two: Fertilizer is Food for the (Grass) Soul
- Step Three: Deal with Your Weeds
- Step Four: Mow Your Lawn
- Step Five: Take Care of Those Summer Pests
- Step Six: Let Your Lawn Breathe!
- Step Seven: Repair Spots Left by Pets!
- Summary
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Step One: Water Your Lawn
This one might seem obvious, but your lawn is THIRSTY in this summer heat!
In usual circumstances, a well-maintained lawn requires little watering as it has already developed a rooting system that captures its own nutrition. However, in summer this system is compromised as the sun scorches down, this can then make your grass dull, and the blades get dry as they cry out for water.
Whilst there is no EXACT amount you should water your grass, in the summer when water evaporates faster, you might want to water your lawn more often.
But not TOO often! Your grass still needs a chance to develop its own rooting system and over-watering can lead to your grass becoming a swamp!
Whilst we all love summer gardening, we all hate lugging around a heavy hose – especially in this heat!
So, whilst you’re going about and watering your lawn, make sure you have the best hose for the job! I recommend an expandable garden hose as this will be easier and more efficient for you, it’s a game-changer compared to the regular garden hose!
Quick Tip: When you’re done watering your lawn, make sure to empty the hose completely as this will keep it lasting longer in this heat as well as avoiding watering your lawn with hot water, which can lead to scorching – NOT what we’re trying to achieve here!
Step Two: Fertilizer is Food for the (Grass) Soul
Stranded on how to keep your grass green and full in summer?
The answer is FERTILIZER.
Fertilizer is food for the grass soul. It provides all the necessary nutrients that your poor lawn is begging for in the summer heat! Grass takes in water, air and sunlight to grow, so by applying fertilizer to your lawn, you maintain this balance of nutrients whilst also making up for anything extra your grass needs!
But don’t over-do it! Over-fertilizing can do more harm than good, so make sure that 1. You choose the right fertilizer and 2. You spread the fertilizer evenly across your lawn for the BEST absorption!
Step Three: Deal with Your Weeds
We all hate the pesty weed problem, especially when you’ve put in all the effort to get your grass looking as best as possible!
The best way to keep your grass green AND keep on top of the weeds is to do it early and often!
It’s way better to battle the weed issue as and when it arrives than to bombard your whole lawn with weed killer when an infestation hits! Weedkiller has its benefits; however, it is not optimal for keeping your grass green when it is over-run by weeds.
The best way is to hand pull the individual weeds out or use a garden weeder or a fork. But if you have too many to manage, I recommend painting weed killer on the affected area only to ensure you don’t damage your healthy grass.
Read our blog post on the best commercial weed killers here to discover what choice of weed killer is best for your problem!
Step Four: Mow Your Lawn
You already mow your lawn (unless you don’t, then I recommend that you do!), but do you mow your lawn like a PRO to keep your lawn green during the summer?
When you mow your lawn in summer it’s best to let the grass grow a little bit longer to reduce stress on your grass.
Usually mowing your lawn is recommended every second week, but in the summer time you can probably reduce this down to every third week as this will give you grass the chance to grow thicker and longer! If there has been a random bout of rain, however, you’ll want to vary this method based on the needs of your grass.
Alongside this, you want to adjust your mower blades so that they’re higher, this will also create the illusion that your lawn is thick and full all summer long, what more could you want?!
Quick Tip: If you notice that your soil is becoming exposed and the grass is getting more dry than usual, you can let it grow out a little while longer before you mow it next.
Step Five: Take Care of Those Summer Pests
Whilst summer is beautiful and everyone loves it, you know who else loves the summer?
BUGS.
One of the biggest causes for dry and patchy grass are the pests that linger on your innocent little blades! Leather Jackets and Chafer Grubs love to chew through your grass and are the leading cause of baldness in your lawn.
One of the best and cheapest ways to help this issue is buying nematodes.
Nematodes are little “worms” that live in the soil of your grass and can be beneficial in preventing pests such as grubs from damaging your lawn as they feed on them.
These nematodes are becoming more popular as a natural method in taking care of lawn and keeping on top of those pesky bugs!
Quick Tip: If you have faced some baldness in your lawn due to bugs, reseed the area and maintain a proper watering schedule and your grass will be good as gold in no time!
Step Six: Let Your Lawn Breathe!
Aeration is so important in proper maintenance of your grass in summer! Just like us, air is as important as water for survival, so to keep your lawn luscious and green ALL summer long, you want to make sure you Let. It. Breathe!
Aeration is not only good for providing your grass with air, but it also allows for better water absorption – rather than creating swamping or a run-off on your lawn!
There are many methods that you can use to aerate your lawn based on cost and time efficiency. Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a list of the BEST lawn aerators of 2023 ranging from manual, chemical and electrical methods!
Step Seven: Repair Spots Left by Pets!
We all know the story, you water, fertilize, reseed and aerate your lawn… then your beloved dog comes and does their business right on all of your hard work.
When this happens, your grass is essentially over-fertilized, creating dreaded brown spots all over your lawn! Whilst you can’t magically bring your dead grass back to life, you can promote new healthy growth so that it looks as good as new!
To properly take care of this issue, you want to remove the dead grass patch and reseed the area, making sure that you focus on proper watering and aeration of that area.
When you do all of this, make sure you keep your pet away from the recovering patch as this will give your grass the best chance at survival!
Summary
Well, there you have it guys!
A comprehensive guide on how to keep your lawn looking green and lush during the summer heat! Using these steps either individually or together will 100% keep your grass in tip-top condition!
Now you can sit back and enjoy your lawn with family and friends knowing you have it all covered on the maintenance front!
Be sure to check out our other blog posts relating to lawn care in order to achieve your best-looking grass all year long!
What do you think?
Comment below if you have any extra tips and tricks that you think will help in keeping your lawn looking pristine in the summer months!