Surviving the Midwest Heat
Summer is the toughest time for our cool-season grasses. When temperatures consistently hit the 80s and 90s, your lawn's main goal is simply survival. Let's adjust our strategy to keep it healthy through the heat.
Mowing Height is Critical
Raise your mower deck! Cut your grass at 3.5 to 4 inches during the summer. Taller grass shades the soil, reducing water evaporation and preventing weed seeds from germinating. It also promotes deeper root growth, which is essential for drought tolerance.
Deep and Infrequent Watering
Watering a little bit every day is the worst thing you can do. It creates shallow roots. Instead, water deeply (about 1 to 1.5 inches) just 1 or 2 times a week. Always water in the early morning to prevent fungal diseases. If your grass footprints stay visible long after you walk on it, it needs water.
The Summer Action Plan
- Mow High: Keep it at 3.5 to 4 inches. Never cut more than 1/3 of the blade at once.
- Hold the Fertilizer: Do not apply heavy nitrogen fertilizer during a heatwave. It stresses the grass and can burn it.
- Spot Treat Weeds: If weeds pop up, spot treat them rather than applying a blanket weed-and-feed across the whole stressed lawn.
- Grub Control: Early summer (June/July) is the time to apply preventative grub control to stop beetles from laying eggs that will destroy your roots in the fall.