Summer is when New Hampshire lawns face some of their biggest challenges. Long periods of sunshine, high temperatures, and occasional dry spells can leave grass looking brown, thin, or stressed. While it’s normal for many lawns to slow their growth during hot weather, lets discuss a few simple maintenance habits that can help keep your lawn healthier until cooler temperatures return!
Water Deeply and Less Often
One of the most important things you can do is water deeply and less often. Instead of watering every day, give your lawn a thorough soaking one or two times a week, depending on rainfall. This encourages deeper root growth, making the grass more resilient during periods of heat. If possible, water early in the morning when temperatures are cooler and less moisture is lost to evaporation.
Simple Summer Watering Test: Before turning on the sprinkler, walk across your lawn. If the grass springs back after you step on it, it likely has enough moisture. If your footprints remain visible for several minutes, it’s a good sign your lawn is ready for a deep watering. This simple test can help you avoid both overwatering and underwatering while keeping your lawn healthy throughout the summer.
Summer Lawn Mowing
Another way to protect your lawn is to adjust your mowing habits. Raise your mower blade during the summer so the grass stays a little taller. Taller grass shades the soil, helps retain moisture, and naturally reduces weed growth.
Did you know grass clippings are about 80% water? This is why it’s also a good idea to leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing. They break down quickly and return valuable nutrients and moisture to the soil.
Summer Mowing Tips
- Pro Tip: During New Hampshire summers, it’s better to mow more often than to mow shorter. Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade at a time. Cutting too much at once can shock the lawn and make it more vulnerable to heat and drought.
- Little-Known Fact: Taller grass develops deeper roots. By raising your mower blade just half an inch during the hottest part of summer, your lawn can better retain moisture and naturally shade the soil, helping it stay greener during dry spells.
- Summer Hack: If possible, mow in the early evening instead of the middle of the day. The grass has had time to dry from morning dew, temperatures are beginning to cool, and freshly cut blades experience less heat stress than they would under the afternoon sun.
- New Hampshire Tip: After several days of extreme heat, it’s okay to skip a scheduled mowing if your lawn isn’t actively growing. Mowing dormant or drought-stressed grass can place additional stress on the plant. Waiting a few days for cooler temperatures or rainfall often results in a healthier lawn.
Less Summer Lawn Care is Actually Better
Finally, avoid putting additional stress on your lawn during extreme heat. Hold off on heavy fertilizing, aggressive dethatching, or overseeding until late summer or early fall when temperatures begin to cool. If your lawn starts turning brown during a heat wave, don’t panic! Many New Hampshire lawns naturally go dormant during extended heat and drought. Dormancy is actually a natural survival mechanism that helps grass conserve water. With proper care, once cooler temperatures and regular rainfall return, many lawns green back up without needing to be replaced. Remember that stressed lawns CAN recover!
Every season brings new challenges for your landscape, and summer is no exception. Understanding how heat affects your lawn helps you make better decisions that can improve its long-term health. A few simple adjustments today can lead to a greener, stronger lawn for the rest of the growing season.
For more summer lawn care advice, check out our other blog posts, or leave us a comment!