The best tips on how to keep lawn green in summer heat include:
- Improving mowing technique
- Watering in the mornings
- Aerating
- Fertilizing
- Avoiding the pooling of water
- Dealing with the weeds
- Controlling pests and bugs
Your yard is one of the first things your guests will see when they come to your home. Not only does it improve the curb appeal of your home, but it also provides a tranquil natural landscape for those days you need to be outside. However, starting from July and through the next few months, you might begin to see a few unattractive earthy-colored spots or patches of dried-up grass.
To guarantee a rich, lovely lawn during those hot August afternoons, read the following tips on how to keep lawn green in summer.
Water in the Morning Hours
Mornings are the best times to water your grass and plants. If you water in the first part of the day, when the sun has not yet ascended to its full force, the soil can retain more water. When you water later in the day, the sun’s heat intensity makes the water dissipate more quickly.
The temperature and frequency of watering are important factors in keeping your lawn healthy in the summer. Make sure the water is cool to very cold. Warm or hot water can burn your grass.
As far as frequency is concerned, watering a few times each week and allowing the water to douse the lawn is ideal. If you water more frequently for less time, it ends up causing a shallow root formation.
Read: How to Reseed a Dead Lawn
Aerating
Air circulation is the best way to get more oxygen into the ground to help the underlying root formation of your grass absorb nutrients easily. This process guarantees that water and compost get deeper into the soil. You don’t need fancy hardware for this; a simple nursery fork will do.
Fertilizing
If you are wondering how to keep a lawn green in the summer heat, fertilizing is a major part. Manure adds nutrients that might have been exhausted over a cruel winter. Your lawn, just like you, needs food to thrive. Feed it to keep it blissful. Whichever compost you pick, a proposed feeding timetable and detailed guidelines on when to feed your plants will be included in the pack.
Be mindful not to leave the clippings where your lawn is excessively thick, as it could prompt the development of mold since you are regularly watering it. Rake up the clippings and mow over them again to dry them better and spread them over your grass.
Also read: Can You Overseed New Sod?
Move Sprinklers to Avoid Water Pooling
With regards to sprinklers, it’s a bad idea to set and forget. If you leave sprinklers set up for a long time, water will begin to pool up in specific regions and eventually flood the grass. Move your sprinklers around to disperse the water equitably.
Mow at the Right Level
Raise the cutting level of your lawnmower during summer to keep your yard looking good. The grass won’t dry out as fast and the roots will be better safeguarded by the more extended grass blades. We recommend mowing your grass twice a month in summer to keep it looking clean, but the need can fluctuate if there has been a recent downpour.
Although the best mowing frequency is twice a month, you can push this to once per week to keep up with a 2 or 3-centimeter grass level. If you notice that the soil is becoming too exposed or that it is drying out more rapidly, you can either allow it to grow for some time longer prior to mowing or water it all the more often.
Prevent Water Run-Off
If you see water streaming off the grass and onto your pathway or drain, this is an indication that you are watering your yard too intensely or that the soil is soaked. Water constantly and gradually, and when you notice run-offs, move the sprinkler to an alternate area.
Also read: How Do You Tamp New Sod?
Manage the Weeds
Dealing with the weeds when they begin showing up in your yard is preferable and more viable than spraying everything with a weed killer. You can do this by either pulling them physically or by using a weeding fork. Taking out weeds when they start growing requires less effort than taking out well-established plants. The use of an herbicide should be the last, unavoidable resort.
Deal With the Summer Lawn Bugs and Pests
Do you often ponder how to keep a lawn green in the summer heat? Bugs, for example, like leather jackets and chafer grubs, are the most widely-known reason for bare patches on your grass in summer.
If you notice that birds are pecking at your grass or that the dirt is plowed and raised, this is an indication that your lawn is pest infested.
The easiest and most practical approach to dealing with pests is introducing nematodes, which are small and whose natural habitat is dirt. Increasing the nematode population in your soil will help you eliminate pests without having to add synthetic compounds.
Related: Why is My New Sod Turning Brown?
How to Keep Your Grass Green in the Summer FAQs
Q: How much should I mow the grass in my yard?
A: Try not to cut your grass more than â…“ of the first level. Any other way, you could wind up causing discoloration or harm.
Q: How frequently should I water my lawn in summer?
A: In the summer, your lawn requires about one inch of water on a daily basis. It is recommended to water at least twice a month
Q: When is the best time to Water in summer?
A: Water in the mornings between 6 AM and 10 PM, when there’s less sun, heat intensity, and wind.
Q: Would it be advisable for me to plant new grass in the summer?
A: If you intend to plant new grass, late-summer is the best time
Q: How would I detect grass sicknesses?
A: If you notice exposed spots; brown or yellow spots; dead pieces of grass; white, spider web-like spots; dazzling green patches; or ruddy earthy colored grass blades, then your yard is infected.
Final Thoughts
The best tip on how to keep a lawn green in summer heat is to let your grass blades grow a bit taller to shade the water and prevent it from drying up quickly. Other tips include watering in the mornings, aerating, fertilizing, avoiding the pooling of water, dealing with weeds, and controlling pests and bugs.
By following these tips with consistency, your yard should stay lovely and lively the entire season.