Summer Lawn Care Timeline

As you prepare to care for your lawn this summer, we have a timeline to help you know what to do each month. 

June

The first official month of summer, June is the time to start irrigating. A good rule of thumb is 1–1.5 inches of water a week. Water deeply and infrequently—ideally, between 4 a.m. and 9 a.m. Raise your mower height to 3.5 inches. Also, start treating your lawn for grubs. Turfgrass diseases become more of an issue as the weather becomes warmer and more humid, so be on the lookout for disease symptoms too.

July

Continue to irrigate and keep an eye out for disease. Don’t be surprised if your cool-season grass goes dormant—that’s normal under hot, dry conditions. If your grass doesn’t go dormant, you can apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer. Also, be on the lookout for grubs and insects.

August

Lawn care in August is similar to July. Continue to irrigate and look out for disease and insects. Be aware that chinch bugs are especially active this time of year. With the toxin they inject into turfgrass, these pests can cause the plant to turn brown, wilt, or even die. 

September

September is a good time for overseeding. It’s also a good time for dethatching and aeration. Continue mowing, but lower the blade height to 2.5–3 inches. To help your lawn begin the process of conditioning itself for winter, you may want to apply a starter fertilizer this time of year.

Here’s to healthy lawns this summer!