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Key Points
- Water deeply twice a week in the morning to help grass roots absorb moisture and prevent fungal issues.
- Keep grass taller during summer to shade soil, retain moisture, and reduce stress on cool-season lawns.
- Choosing drought-tolerant grass types like tall fescue helps lawns survive heat and drought conditions.
While warm-season grasses such as zoysia grass are built to thrive in the heat, cool-season grasses struggle with the heat waves of summer. But there are ways to keep your cool-season lawn green and lush during hot summer weather.
The following tips range from how you mow the lawn to how you water it.
Dormancy: Your Lawn’s Defense Mechanism
Cool-season grass does go dormant, so don’t assume it’s dead just because it’s not green and lush. It won’t look great for a while, but your grass is likely to bounce back in fall all on its own.
Choose the Right Type of Grass
This one requires some forethought. But if you have lost a lawn to drought in the past, you will be more than willing to avoid the same mistake in the future.
Some kinds of grass are more drought-tolerant than others. When planning your next lawn, seek the seed of one of these tough grasses that will stand up better to hot weather. In the North, this usually means growing tall fescue grass.
Stay Ahead of Thatch Buildup in Your Lawn
This is another step that requires forethought. Your cool-season grass will struggle less in summer if you keep it dethatched.
What Is Thatch?
Thatch is a layer of shoots, stems, and roots (both dead and alive) that forms in a lawn between the zone of green vegetation and the soil surface.
You can stay ahead of thatch by using a rake every fall (rather than a leaf blower) to remove fallen leaves. If you dig the rake tines vigorously into the lawn, you will remove thatch at the same time that you rake up leaves.
If you fail to stay ahead of thatch buildup, all is not lost; you can rent a core aerator and aerate the lawn. However, summer is not the time to perform this task: core aeration is best done in fall or in late winter.
Water will get down to your grass’ roots better if your lawn doesn’t have a thatch buildup, meaning your lawn has a better chance of staying green and lush even during a heatwave.
How Much to Water the Lawn
While a lawn needs one inch of water weekly under normal conditions, your grass should be getting two inches of water each week during a heatwave. But how you go about trying to deliver that two inches makes a difference.
Don’t deliver just a bit of water day after day: such shallow watering might not even get down to all portions of the root zone. Instead, water deeply twice a week.
When to Water the Lawn
The time of day you water also matters. Between seven and 10 in the morning is best because:
- It gives the water time to percolate down to root level before the midday sun accelerates evaporation.
- Watering at this time gives the grass blades an opportunity to dry off before nightfall and avoid fungal diseases.
Mow at the Right Height
An ideal mowing regimen for cool-season grasses in the summer is to let the grass get about 4.5 inches high, then mow it down to about 3.5 inches. This accomplishes two things:
- It saves you from having to rake or bag up the grass clippings, since they will be minimal. And the clippings left on the lawn will serve as fertilizer.
- By keeping the lawn taller, it casts more shade on the surface, which keeps the soil from drying out as quickly.
Frequently asked Questions
How often should I water my lawn during a heatwave?
Water twice a week during a heatwave, aiming to get 1 inch of water down to the roots of the grass each time.
What is the best time of day to water a lawn in summer?
Early morning is the correct time of day to water the lawn, especially during the heat of summer.
Should I fertilize my lawn during extreme heat?
Do not fertilize the lawn if the extreme heat has caused your cool-season grass to go dormant.
Read the original article on The Spruce
