Summer Lawn Care Tips

Summer’s here, and if your lawn’s looking a little rough around the edges, don’t sweat it. Between the blazing sun and those random summer downpours, your grass goes through a lot. But with a few smart moves (and avoiding a couple of common blunders), you can keep your lawn looking great.

Lawn Care by Grass Type

Be sure to check out our individual summer lawn care articles for zoysia, St. Augustine, bermuda grass, centipede grass and bluegrass or fescue lawns for more details about a specific grass type.

Summer Lawn Care Tips

1. Mow Like a Pro

Summer mowing can be challenging as temperatures rise, especially if the grass gets too tall, making the mower hard to push. Keeping your lawn at recommended heights for various grass types can make it easier:

• Bermuda (0.5–1.5 inches)
• Bluegrass (2.5–3.5 inches)
• Centipede (1.5–2.0 inches)
• Fescue (2.5–3.5 inches)
• St. Augustine (2–4 inches)
• Zoysia (0.5–2 inches, depending on the blade type)

Never cut more than a third of the blade to prevent stress and browning.

If you go on a vacation or break and your grass gets too tall while you’re gone, mow gradually to the desired height, allowing 3–5 days between mowings. Taller blades benefit the lawn by shading the root system and retaining moisture.

2. Feed It Right: The Best Summer Lawn Fertilizer

Too much fertilizer in summer is a rookie mistake. The heat already has your lawn feeling iffy, and piling on nitrogen just makes it worse.

We suggest the Lawnifi® Summer Fertilizer Box, a liquid program with Maintain and Recover formulations. It’s packed with nutrition your lawn needs to stay strong without scorching it.

Why We Like It:

• Liquid formula = fast and easy
• Just hook it to your hose and spray
• Keeps your grass steady and stress-free

3. Watering Smarts: How Often to Water Your Lawn in the Summer

It’s tempting to go all out with the sprinklers during a heatwave, but don’t overdo it. Lawns don’t need as much as you think.

Aim for:

• 1 inch of water per week (including rain)
• Early morning watering (before 10 AM)
• A deep soak 1–2 times per week

Too much water leads to mushy roots and unwanted disease. If you’re not sure how much water you’re putting down, grab a rain gauge or do a quick irrigation audit.

4. Be Cautious with Weed Control

Summer is not the time to go wild with blanket sprays of weed killers, especially if it’s really hot out.

What to Do Instead:

• Spot-treat weeds
• Hand-pull weeds if possible
• Hold off on big treatments till fall
• Use Celsius WG if it’s really hot outside
• Always read the label

Summer Weed Control Products

• Broadleaf Weed Control: SpeedZone Broadleaf Herbicide for Turf
• Grassy Weed Control: Quintessential
• Weed Control for St. Augustine & Centipede Lawns: Hi-Yield Atrazine Weed Killer

5. Keep an Eye Out for Summer Bugs

• Grubs – ruin roots, cause brown patches (use Imidacloprid to prevent and Dylox 6.2)
• Chinch bugs – suck the color out of your grass and leave drought-like patches (use Imidacloprid to prevent and Bifen XTS to treat)
• Sod webworms – chew on the blades (use Spinosad to prevent and treat)
• Mole crickets – create tunnels and damage roots (use Imidacloprid to prevent and Bifen XTS to treat)
• Billbugs – insects that like to feed on zoysia and other grass types (use Imidacloprid to prevent and Bifen XTS to treat)

If you’re seeing weird damage and not sure what’s up, try a “tug test” by gently pulling on the grass. If it lifts up easy, you’ve probably got grubs. You can also do a soap flush test to identify potential pests.