Five Tips For A Burnt Lawn

Summer heat and drought can leave your lawn burnt, brown, and dead looking. Fortunately, lawns will go dormant in this situation, so the grass probably isn't dead. The following tips can help revive the lawn so that it greens up again.

1. Postpone Fertilizer Treatments

Fertilizer won't revive a burnt lawn. Instead, it will only make matters worse. If your grass is suffering from water stress and heat, put off any planned fertilizer treatments until the weather cools down and the grass begins to green up again. The nitrogen in fertilizer, in particular, can kill a lawn that is already suffering from extreme dryness. 

2. Reduce Mowing Frequency

Mowing too frequently will only further dry out the grass. It simply makes sense to reduce how often you mow since the lawn is likely barely putting on any new growth due to the heat stress. If you mow too often, the grass won't be able to recover so it will decline even further. If you usually mow weekly, wait 10 to 14 days between mowings during times of heat and drought stress.

3. Raise Mower Height

Allow the grass to grow a bit longer when it's hot outside. The longer grass will shade the soil, which reduces water loss. Maintain the lawn at 3.5 to 4 inches long and wait to mow until the lawn grows at least an inch longer than the desired height. A longer lawn cut with a sharp blade is less likely to develop brown tips during hot periods.

4. Increase Watering Depth

Deep watering results in stronger grassroots and a more drought-resistant lawn. When you water, provide about 1 inch of water or enough to thoroughly moisten the top few inches of soil. During dry, hot weather, you may need to water every other day to ensure the soil never dries out completely. Water in the early morning so that the moisture is absorbed into the soil before it can evaporate during the midday heat. 

5. Remove The Thatch

Thatch is the dead plant material that builds up on top of the soil around the base of the grass blades. If this layer gets too thick, it prevents moisture from getting deep into the soil. If your lawn tends to dry out every time the temperature soars, even if you are watering regularly, it may be time to have the thatch layer removed. 

Contact a complete lawn mowing service for more help with your grass.