Our summer lawn care tips will help your lawn survive and thrive during hot, dry summer weather and grow well again in the fall.
How do you keep your lawn healthy during our hot, dry summers? In July and August the average Seattle rainfall is an inch or less per month, and the average temperature is about 75 degrees. Those conditions make it tough for lawns.
Now is the time to adopt lawn care practices that will help your lawn survive and thrive this summer.
Summer lawn care tips
- Water deeply. This will lead to deeper roots and less drought stress. Your lawn needs one inch of water, once or twice per week, depending on whether you have clay or sandy soil. See our video below on how to measure one inch of water from your sprinkler.
- Don’t water your lawn daily. Frequent, shallow watering will lead to short roots and a lawn that can’t handle drought.
- Do not let your lawn go dormant. If the lawn dies back and gets thin, you are much more likely to have weeds invade in the fall.
- Mow high. Keep the grass blades three inches tall to shade the soil, reducing evaporation. Don’t remove more than 1/3 of the grass blade height when you mow.
- Mulch mow. This will feed the lawn, reducing fertilizer needs. And the thin layer of mulched clippings reduces evaporation.
What to do before summer arrives
Now is a great time to apply organic fertilizer to strengthen the lawn. A thick, healthy lawn will better resist drought. Don’t use a chemical fertilizer. That will give the lawn a quick fix that won’t last.
If you already have thin spots in your lawn, overseed with a grass seed adapted for the Pacific Northwest. And topdress with a thin layer of compost. Since it is already getting warmer and drier, you will need to water the seed frequently at the beginning to help the new grass sprout and grow.
If you would like to improve your lawn’s overall health and appearance, contact us about our natural lawn care services. We will visit your lawn several times a year to apply all-natural products that build soil biology and dramatically enhance lawn health.
How to measure one inch of water
Here is a short video about how to measure one inch of water from your sprinkler.
More about lawn care and watering
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