Let’s be honest: Mother Nature didn’t do us any favors this year when it came to keeping our grass healthy over the summer. Between the heavy heat and more-than-lacking rain, this season just didn’t provide the ideal conditions for a great-looking lawn.
If you’re ending the summer with scorched brown lawn, you’re not the only one. Don’t worry—Land Concepts has the tips and tricks to rescue your heat stressed lawn.
What Does Heat Stressed Lawn Look Like?
Yellow or brown grass discoloration can be a sign of heat stress, but it can also be indicative of plenty of other issues, like pests or disease. Ensure the issue is actually related to heat stress and underwatering before beginning treatment.
The “footprint test” is an easy way to figure out if your lawn is lacking in the water department. If you step on your lawn, does the grass bounce back? If it remains flattened and matted, it’s likely your lawn is underwatered.
Heavily compacted soil is another common sign of heat stressed lawns in Minnesota. Check your grass’ compaction by poking a screwdriver into the dirt—if you struggle to get it into the soil, your lawn could benefit from a core aeration in addition to heat stress treatment.
Treating Heat Stressed Lawn
Adjust Your Watering Technique
Ensure you’re watering your lawn at the correct interval. Believe it or not, you shouldn’t be watering your lawn a little bit every single day. Instead, water deep and infrequently, two or three times a week. This helps the grass’ roots grow stronger and deeper, strengthening them against hot weather.
Relieve Compacted Soil
Compacted earth around your lawn’s roots makes it difficult for the plant to absorb the water it needs. Even if you adjust your lawn’s watering schedule, the water may still have a hard time making its way through dense soil to the roots.
Core aeration service is the best way to reduce compaction in your lawn, but until then, avoid heavy traffic on your lawn.
Try Overseeding
With proper care, your heat stressed lawn may recover, but it’s possible you may be left with some patches that are entirely dead. Thankfully, fall is the ideal time for overseeding your balding lawn.
Dormancy
If the heat stress to your lawn is severe, it may benefit from dormancy. While your lawn may not look the best during dormancy, when the cooler, moist weather of mid fall arrives, your lawn should recover and green up.
What’s right for your lawn will depend on the level of heat stress it has experienced. As always, it’s best to consult with a professional lawn care company like Land Concepts before making any decisions regarding the health of your lawn.
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