When you're enjoying the summer, the last thing you want on your mind is the fate of a suffering lawn.

Summer is the high season for that lovely green grass lining your home. During these few hot months, that's when your lawn will experience the most traffic and soak in the most hours of sun per day. That's also when there will be the least amount of rain and moisture.

Thanks to a combination of the above, your lawn will demand extra TLC.

In fact, timing is key when it comes to fertilizing your lawn and keeping it lush, green and healthy year-round — but especially during the summer.  

Why Use Fertilizer? 

Here's why fertilizing or feeding your lawn matters.

Feeding helps the grass maintain its.density, heightens its vibrant green color, and invites healthy growth. Fertilizer also helps your lawn recover more effectively from damage, whether it's from foot traffic or temperature-related stresses, such as periods of hot, dry weather.  

Without the use of smartly-timed fertilizer, you may find yourself asking a question that haunts so many who maintain a lawn: why is my grass dying? 

Early Summer Lawn Care

Fertilizing in the early summer helps your lawn to grow thicker and healthier — allowing it to better tolerate the heat and the difficult, dry conditions of any drought periods. 

If your lawn consists of warm-season grass, which flourishes at temperatures roughly around 70 degrees, this is the best time to feed it.

If your lawn consists of cool-season grass however, we suggest feeding it in the spring and the fall instead. 

If you're unsure which type of grass your lawn features, take a look at this quick guide here.

Mow high for the entirety of the summer season.

Tall grass is effective for a number of reasons. They help to shade and cool soil, which keeps weeds from sprouting and overtaking your grass. Additionally, taller blades encourage grass to grow deeper roots and more successfully find water underground. Altogether, tall grass creates healthier, denser conditions, which means you won't have to water your lawn as often. 

Warm-season grasses should be cut to 2-3 inches tall, while we recommend 3-4 inches for cool-season grasses.

When you mow, don't get rid of the clippings — leave them on the lawn. They'll eventually break down and help to feed your grass. Note: the clippings should be ideally short to effectively decompose, so don’t forget to mow regularly. 

Summer tends to attract plenty of insects. Not all of them are harmful. But if you run into pests like Japanese beetles, grubs, chinch bugs, army worms, take action! Your lawn might start suffering from damage like brown spots or dead patches of grass. 

Find and apply, as needed, a grub control product to head off any trouble.

Weeds can be a pain. They often spread quickly so acting sooner than later is preferred. We recommend hand-pulling weeds, as a gentle eco-friendly alternative to using herbicides that may harm your grass. 

Mid-Summer Lawn Care

To encourage lush, healthy growth, your lawn might benefit from fertilizer midway through the summer season. This is especially the case if you live in the South and your lawn consists of warm-season grasses. 

However, don't go overboard with feeding during this time if the lawn doesn't need it. 

By this time, your lawn has likely encountered days of dry, hot weather. These conditions tend to sap moisture from your soil. 

This can unfortunately lead to a terrible combination of wilting grass, slower root growth, as well as higher chances of pests and/or weeds. If you’re wondering why your grass is dying, sometimes, this could be the obvious answer.

To fight these issues, we recommend watering your lawn fully once or twice a week. Ideally, the water should penetrate the soil 4-6 inches deep.

To double-check, use a screwdriver to push down into the soil. If it slides in too quickly, pull back on the watering. If it's tough to push down, water more. 

Keep an eye on your local weather forecast. You can water less during the weeks when it's predicted to rain. If you do plan to water, do so during the early morning hours between 6 and 10 AM. That will help to keep the sun from stealing all the moisture from your lawn. 

Late Summer Lawn Care

As you reach late summer, continue the watering and mowing regimen that you've maintained all season.

Don't forget to sharpen your mower blades on a regular basis. They usually stay sharp every 10 hours of mowing.

Remember — if the blades are dull, they're more likely to rip and tear grass rather than providing a clean cut. That increases their likelihood of losing moisture and dying prematurely.

If you look over your lawn and spot dying, thinning or bare patches, you may want to consider overseeding. That’s the practice of sowing additional seed over areas of existing grass. Doing so can help to freshen up and thicken the lawn, returning it to its original green splendor.

How to Choose the Best Fertilizer for Summer Lawn Feeding

We recommend Pro Organic's 100% Organic & Vegan Lawn Food.

During the summer time especially, this all-natural fertilizer's unique REE blend helps the lawn retain water for longer and increases its capacity to preserve moisture within. 

When winter rolls around, that means your lawn will be able to survive with less water and avoid unwelcome damage from freezing. 

Lastly, it's easy to use. Simply sprinkle the nutrition-packed pellets of the Pro Organic Lawn Food across the desired area. One 22 lb. bag successfully treats up to 2200 square feet of lawn. 

Why Organic Beats Synthetic Fertilizer for Summer Lawn Feeding

There is a reason why Pro Organic's 100% Organic & Vegan Lawn Food tops the lists for so many lawn enthusiasts out there.

The plant food's all-natural, organic formula is gentle and is fully committed to a no-burn pledge. That makes this organic fertilizer safe for feeding all types of grasses and lawn in all weather conditions. 

Lawn burn is the quickest way to damage, dry out and kill grass. It's a common side effect of synthetic fertilizers, especially when too much of it is applied.

This negative impact occurs when too much nitrogen from the fertilizer is applied, and the microbes in the lawn's soil are unable to fully break the chemicals down.

The excess amount of nitrogen draws water away from the grass roots and tissues, causing them to return water back to the soil. This dries out the grass and results in a burned look to the lawn, hence the term's name.

Fertilizer burn may look like brown, scorned stripes of lawn or big spots of dead grass, making it a tough, time-consuming problem to fix.

On the other hand, using a 100% organic fertilizer to feed your grass during the summer season, such as Pro Organic's Lawn Food, will help you to avoid that fate. We recommend it as the better alternative to synthetic fertilizers, so you can keep your lawn green and healthy — the natural way.

Keep Your Lawn Lush & Vibrant This Summer

You are now equipped with all the tips you need for a healthier lawn this summer season — and you even know which fertilizer is best for its care! 

With these tips, we hope you won't even need to utter that dreaded question over the next few months, namely,"why is my grass dying?"

To learn more about the basics of kickstarting a general fertilizing regimen, we invite you to explore one of our essential articles on how to fertilize your lawn. 

Happy lawn care!