In places with cool-season grasses, summer can be a rough time for grass health. With the heat and dryness during summer, cool-season grasses tend to go dormant and may also turn brown or yellowish. It is usually able to survive in its dormancy for three to four weeks. But any longer than that has the potential to kill the grass. Luckily, there are a number of lawn care practices that can help your grass survive the heat and drought.

 Why Does Grass Go Dormant In the Summer?

Cool-season grasses go dormant in very hot or dry conditions as a protective measure; a dormant plant does not consume as much water and nutrients as an active one. In contrast, their warm-season counterparts go dormant in the winter to protect them from the cold. Cool-season grasses do not turn brown as a result of their dormancy, but rather lack of water. This dormancy will appear as a relatively consistent brown color across the lawn. If brown spots on your lawn appear in patches, it is likely caused by other problems such as a grub infestation or nitrogen burn. It just so happens that heat and drought often coincide; however, if your cool-season grass is watered throughout its dormant season, it should keep most of its green color. 

Watering

If your grass is turning a brownish color, it is likely because your lawn lacks moisture. Many cool-season grasses have supplemental water needs in the summer to keep them looking their best. During the summer, try to water your grass lightly and frequently. The amount of water you need will depend on your grass and soil, but start off conservatively and add as needed. Watering is especially important if your grass was recently planted because it will still be delicate. Continuing to water your grass during times of drought will prevent it from going dormant. If you plan to take this route, make sure to do so consistently until you begin to get more rainfall.

If your grass has already gone dormant, that is also okay. Established grasses will be able to survive several weeks without water by becoming dormant but will likely take on the brown coloring. Dormancy during times of drought is a natural process of cool-season grasses meant to protect themselves. Because dormant grass is in a state of stress, it is important not to do anything to stress it out further. Make sure not to overwater your dormant grass. Because dormant grass does not absorb as much water, overwatering can kill its roots or leave them susceptible to certain diseases. Only water your dormant grass if it has gone more than a few weeks without any rainfall. This light watering will not do much to keep the grass green, but it will keep it healthy throughout its dormancy.

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Mowing

One way to help grass when the weather is hot and dry is to mow less frequently. As a result of letting your grass grow, it will develop deeper roots that will be able to absorb more water from the soil. In addition, it minimizes the amount of water lost from evaporation. If your grass has gone dormant, it will not be growing as quickly anyway, so frequent mowing is not needed. Furthermore, mowing will put further stress on the grass and will not help it to keep its green color. Letting your grass grow to about four inches is a good rule of thumb. Once (or if) the grass gets to this height, you can cut it down 1 inch or ½ inch.

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Fertilizer

The nitrogen fertilizer helps plants to grow; however, that is not always the goal when heat or drought strikes. Fertilizing during the hot summer months can actually do more harm than good; its application without proper watering can result in nitrogen burns, which can further discolor your lawn. Furthermore, if your grass is dormant, it will not absorb the same amount of nutrients it would if it was actively growing. If you are looking for a soil amendment that can help your grass during hot and dry weather, consider something with good moisture retention. Compost and Peat moss would both be good options. 

Weeding

Many weeds thrive in very warm or very dry conditions. If your grass is dormant, this can make healthy green weeds stick out like a sore thumb. Unfortunately, like with fertilizer, using herbicides during times of drought may be harmful to your lawn. Even selective herbicides can put more stress on your grass, so it is best to avoid them altogether. Waiting until you have cooler weather to spot treat weeds is always a good idea. Otherwise, you could remove your weeds manually with your hands or a de-weeding device.

Recovery

Because extreme heat or drought can cause damage to a lawn, it is important to do any needed repairs afterward to help it recover. When most or all of your lawn is still alive, then the recovery process should be rather swift. The grass will likely be able to do much of the healing on its own. On the other hand, if your lawn has suffered some damage, there are some steps you can take to help repair it. 

Basically, if the lawn has sustained some damage, reseeding is likely your best option. Reseeding or overseeding will help restore your lawn’s health whether the heat has damaged it in patches or simply thinned it out. For a more complete guide on reseeding, see our article on Renovating a Patchy Lawn. Make sure to read all the instructions and guidelines on the bags of seed before sowing. Spread the seed on the areas that need it, and pat them in gently with your hands or a rake. The seeds do not need to be pushed in deep into the soil; as long as the seeds make good contact with the soil, they will be able to germinate. Lastly, make sure to water thoroughly. Not only will this help your grass recover from the heat or drought, but this will also help the seeds germinate quickly. 

After the Heat and Drought have Passed

Once the weather begins to cool down and your grass starts to recover, you can resume many lawn care practices. Fertilizer, mowing, and herbicides are best avoided during heat waves or droughts but are ideal to do in autumn. Because autumn is one of the best times for lawn care, consider aerating, dethatching, or lawn leveling too.