High temperatures, sometimes spotty rainfall, and drying winds can really do a number on your lawn. Just sharing a few tips today to help you keep your lawn healthy throughout the summer. Although adequate rainfall hasn’t been a problem for us yet, most lawns need 1 – 1.5 inches of rain a week to keep the grass green and growing all summer long. Without enough moisture, our tough Minnesota lawns can become dormant in periods of little rain and high temps. A dormant lawn stops growing and turns brown, but does not die. Your lawn can survive this way for up to 6-8 weeks depending on the soil and grass type.
Keeping your lawn longer, around 3” is the ideal height for keeping your summer lawn looking green and healthy. Grass cut at this height has deeper roots than a lawn that is cut very short. Deeper roots allow grass to get more water and nutrients from soil. It is also a good idea to avoid seeding, fertilizing and applying weed killers when it is very hot and when your lawn may be dry. Seeds are difficult to keep moist in hot weather and fertilizers and weed killers do not work as well or can even damage lawns in less than ideal conditions.