Apply Low-Nitrogen Fertilizer
Fertilizers that are applied in the summer should also be low-nitrogen fertilizers that reintroduce nutrients into the soil so the lawn can maintain healthy growth throughout the summer months.
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. Your turf should receive about 1/3 an inch of water every two days in order to maintain deeper roots, thus helping protect against drought.
Don't water everyday.
The more shallow your grass roots are, the less hearty it will be in hot weather. Instead water about two times per week for longer periods of time. The local lawn companies I have spoke with around my area (North Central Texas) recommend about 20-30 minutes per watering cycle twice a week.
During really hot weather, water your vegetables at least two to three times a week. Watering the garden deeply is critical. The water must go down, down, down to encourage deep roots and get away from the hot soil surface.
This may seem like a no brainer, but watering grass during extreme heat is the single most important thing you can do to keep it alive. We recommend watering daily with heat like this, but please be sure to abide by local regulations for water usage in your state. It also matters what time of day you water your lawn.
Once temperatures reach 77 degrees, it becomes too hot for root growth, and root growth ceases. When temperatures reach 90 degrees, it becomes too hot for shoot growth and the grasses stop growing and begin to fall dormant, with the surface grass turning a brown hue.
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. Extension offers a handy calendar for when to do what to your lawn here: extension.umn.edu/planting-and-growing-guides/lawn-care-calendar .
Drought Stress
Like any plant, grass reacts to summer's high temperatures and lack of water with wilting, browning, or even death. Here's how to detect drought stress: Locate a brown patch, and pull on the grass. If it won't pull easily from soil and is firmly rooted, it's likely brown due to drought.
In Summer: Apply Scotts® Turf Builder® Annual Program Summer
To keep your lawn thick and green during the hot summer months, apply Scotts® Turf Builder® Annual Program Summer between June and August. The Summer product helps your lawn maximize water usage by driving water into the soil (so there's less runoff).
A lower nitrogen content fertilizer between 10 and 14 will keep your lawn green while eliminating the fast growth. Using a mulching mower also helps to naturally fertilize the lawn by recycling the nutrients in the grass clippings back into the soil.
So, what's the best time of day to mow a lawn in hot weather? Plan to mow your lawn during the evening hours, after the heat of the day has passed. The temperature should be between 40°F and 80°F.
AVOID MOWING DURING EXTREME HEAT When your lawn is particularly stressed from heat or drought, it can be limited in its ability to recover from mowing and can be damaged even more. Instead, mow the grass after a rainfall or after irrigation day.
During extremely hot weather (daytime temperatures above 90F and nighttime temperatures above 70F), try to water daily or every other day. In a 10x10-foot garden, this would mean giving your plants 8 to 9 gallons of water each day.
If it's 70-80 degrees outside try watering 2-3 times a week. During the spring your lawn will be fairly easy to manage so you don't have to water all the time. In the blazing summer, when temperatures are between 90-100+, try watering 3-4 times a week.
Vegetables and fruits that are developing fruit during a heat spell need regular watering to ensure good production. Vegetables typically require daily watering during summer weather, but may need a second watering when temperatures are extremely high.
If you forget or are too busy to water your plants on some summer mornings, you can water them at night. However, this should not be your ordinary watering time. Morning is the proper time for watering plants, though you should keep in mind that not all plants need daily watering.
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!
1) Watering for Too Long
This should be no more than three times per week. Set a timer for 20 minutes and stick to your schedule, even if you think the lawn needs more water. You don't want to oversoak it.
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.
If your grass gets too much water, it doesn't get oxygen and can actually suffocate. Too much water also makes your grass more susceptible to disease.
The number one way to increase the green color in your lawn is with Nitrogen. Nitrogen is one of the big three macronutrients needed in the greatest quantities for healthy turf. It promotes top growth in the lawn by pushing the production of chlorophyll in the plant.
Yellow grass can be caused by overwatering or underwatering.
Homeowners may think that the more the lawn is watered, the better condition it will be in. Unfortunately, overwatering the yard can drown grass roots and lead to less oxygen in the soil, which is essential for healthy, green grass.