How to Prevent Your Grass from Drying Out in the Summer

Summer is here and so is the dry heat. Keeping your lawn fresh, hydrated, and green all summer long can be difficult with the dry weather. We are here to share some simple tips to prevent your lawn from drying out.

Watering

Making sure your lawn is hydrated during the summer is essential, especially during periods of drought. Watering in the morning is best because it allows the soil to soak up the water before the sun evaporates it with its heat. Watering at night does not allow your lawn to dry out enough, which can lead to fungus growth and diseases. While keeping your lawn dryer during the summer prevents fungus growth and diseases it can make the grass grow deeper roots to find moisture in the soil.

Watering around 2-3 times a week is the best versus watering it daily. Keeping a watering schedule helps to keep your grass properly hydrated. Typically, wait until your lawn shows signs of distress before watering. This means if your grass leaves an imprint of your footprint or if it starts to look like it is losing its color.

Fertilizer

Next, fertilizing your yard is a good idea and we recommend around 8-10 weeks between fertilization to keep your lawn from drying out and prevent weeds. Advanced Quality Lawn offers lawn programs that do six standard treatments during the year which include early spring, late spring, early summer, late summer, early fall, and late fall.

Mowing

Keeping your lawn lush and green is also dependent on how often you mow your lawn. Grass does not grow as fast during hot and dry weather, so mowing your lawn less during periods of high heat and less precipitation can allow time for your grass to grow. The best time for mowing your lawn is either in the morning or at night. Cutting the grass during the middle of the day in the heat can kill dryer grass or stop its growth.

When mowing your lawn, make sure you do not mow the grass too short. Setting your lawn mower to the highest setting or to 2 ½- 4 inches allows the grass to create a root system that is deep, which controls the soil’s temperature and prevents weeds. The direction you mow your lawn is also important– each time you mow, cut the grass in a different direction to prevent ruts and healthy growth for your lawn.