Warm season grasses should be fertilized from the time of green up in spring through September. So, if your lawn is a warm season grass go ahead and fertilize in summer to keep it nice and green. (About a pound of nitrogen for every thousand square feet every 4 to 6 weeks should do it.)
General tips. Avoid applying fertilizers when plants are dormant or under heat and drought stress. Fertilizers should be incorporated into the soil to prevent losses. If you cannot physically incorporate a fertilizer at this point in the season, it may be best to stick with a water-soluble fertilizer.
Feeding in the early summer helps strengthen the lawn so it can better withstand the heat and drought conditions that summer is famous for. Scotts® Turf Builder® releases its nutrients slowly over time, making it the go-to fertilizer for all grass types.
You must water your lawn in hot weather at least three times per week, as long as you soak the soil to a depth of at least 6 to 8 inches. Akin to normal conditions, watering your lawn daily will create a shallow root system, which dries out fast and weakens your lawn.
Whether or not your lawn is dormant, applying fertilizer right now, with the high temperatures we've been having, is not a good idea. Applying either fertilizer or weed killer when it's hot out can damage your lawn. You're better off waiting until later in summer to fertilize.
Apply Low-Nitrogen Fertilizer
Whereas nitrogen-rich fertilizers are appropriate for the early springtime green-up and growth, as we just mentioned, they can cause further stress to lawns in the summer and even cause burns. That's why low-nitrogen fertilizer is a great option for summer lawns.
Don't fertilize when it's winter or early spring
Your lawn needs an extended period to recover from the cold weather. Fertilizing in this season may cause your lawn to become weak and sickly. The ideal temperature to fertilize your lawn is 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Apply summer lawn fertilizer once between June and August, 6 to 8 weeks after the late spring feeding.
However, if your lawn is heat-stressed, avoid fertilizer products. Lawn fertilizer on a heat-stressed lawn can have the opposite effect and can cause further damage to an already sensitive grass area.
As a general rule, you should not fertilize your lawn when it is dormant. Lawn grass can go dormant when it's too cold, or too hot. At the cool end of the spectrum, you want to be sure that your air temperatures are consistently 60 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer.
Nitrogen is especially important for getting beautiful green grass. As with other aspects of lawn care, when you apply fertilizer depends on your lawn type: Cool-season grass generally needs fertilizer at both the beginning of spring and fall. Warm-season lawns need more frequent fertilizer.
Simple Lawn Solutions Advanced Balanced NPK 16-4-8
If you're looking for a liquid fertilizer, this complete nitrogen, phosphate, and potash formula will provide green results and promote lush growth for all grass types—all in a ready-to-use sprayer.
I'll address some of the recent weather conditions around the country but in general, if you are able to keep your lawn irrigated during the summer and therefore not allow it to slip into summer dormancy, you can continue to fertilize every 4 weeks or so.
Scotts® granular Lawn Foods are slow-release products, meaning the nutrients are released slowly to the lawn. Microbes in the soil are able to break down the nitrogen in the particles over time, thereby releasing nutrients slowly and steadily over a 6-8 week period, which means no lawn burn.
You might think that fertilizing these stressed plants is the answer. However, this could be exactly the wrong thing to do! Here are some general guidelines for using fertilizer this summer. Avoid applying fertilizers when plants are dormant or under heat and drought stress.
Can I apply fertilizer to a wet lawn? Most Scotts® fertilizers can be applied to either a wet or dry lawn. If you're applying a weed-and-feed product like Scotts® Turf Builder® Weed & Feed, though, you may need to apply to wet grass to help the particles adhere to the weeds for best results.
So, how often should you water your lawn in the summer? The answer may surprise you. Between irrigation and natural rainfall, your grass should receive between 1 and 1.5 inches of water each week during the summer. Water deeply every other day for the best results.
In times of extreme heat, it is vital to water your lawn for about 30 to 45 minutes daily. Once the temperatures drop below ninety, you can cut back to watering three to four times a week, until that blissful thunderstorm comes and quenches your lawn's thirst!
Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles. Since mowing your grass in the early morning can damage it and mowing it during the early afternoon can burn it because of all the high temperatures, the ideal time is mid-morning. That is of course if you're free during that time of day.
It is ideal to water lawns about one inch of water per week. To determine how long you need to water to get one inch, place a plastic container in your yard and set a timer. On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. So, 20 minutes, three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water.
As the heat starts to put stress on your lawn you may notice full brown blades of grass or grass with brown tips. They may have begun to curl.