How to Keep Your Lawn Healthy in the Summer Heat

It's summertime in Southeast Michigan. As the temperature climbs, protecting your lawn is the key to enjoying it before Old Man Winter returns. While the family is soaking up the sun, the hot weather can be brutal on your lawn. Summer heat and a lack of rainfall can lead to drought stress, soil compaction, and nutrient deficiency. These can leave your yard looking brown, unhealthy, and not up for afternoon barbecues. Luckily, there are steps you can take to keep your lawn healthy in the summer heat.

The Effects Of Summer Heat On Your Lawn 

Even with snow-filled winters, summer drought can be a problem. In June of 2023, Southeast Michigan is experiencing a mild drought so far. Drought can lead to a variety of issues, including:

• Soil compaction
• Browning and thinning grass blades 
• Increased weed growth
• Increased vulnerability to pests and diseases
• Nutrient deficiency

Developing the correct protocol can help prevent these problems. The lawn care professionals at Visionary Fertilization recommend using summer-friendly fertilizers and stress-recovery lawn care products to keep your lawn healthy and green.

Apply The Right Summer Fertilizers

During the summer months, you want to reduce the amount of nitrogen in your fertilizer to avoid burning the grass. Look for fertilizers that contain more potassium, which helps with drought stress. Organic fertilizers are also a great option as they promote healthy growth and reduce the risk of chemical burn. 

Why avoid nitrogen in your fertilizer? Nitrogen promotes rapid leaf growth, which can strain the grass during hot weather. Rather than push vertical growth, our lawn care specialists focus on balanced nutrition to support overall plant health.

Raise Your Mowing Height In Summer Months 

It's true grass grows quickly during the summer months, but sometimes rapid growth isn't good in the summer heat. Your grass also has its own way of naturally preserving nutrients in the heat cycle. During summer, grass blades become thinner to reduce water loss and preserve nutrients. Setting your mowing height higher allows the grass to keep more of its blade, helping it stay healthy and green.

Stress Recovery Products for Your Lawn 

In addition to fertilizers and mowing height, stress recovery products can help your lawn recover from summer heat stress. They work by improving the health of your soil so it can better absorb nutrients and water, which can help it to recover more quickly from stress. Below are some of the most important lawn care products we recommend adding to your summer lawn care routine.

Humic Acid and Fulvic Acid

Humic acid and fulvic acid are organic compounds that promote healthy soil and lawn growth. They improve soil structure, increase nutrient uptake, and boost plant growth. Humic and fulvic acid can be applied in a liquid or granular form. We recommended using them at the beginning of the growing season and again in the fall.

Cold Water Sea Kelp

Cold-water sea kelp is a natural product that promotes healthy lawn growth. It encourages root growth, disease resistance, and drought tolerance. Cold-water sea kelp can be applied in a liquid or granular form. We recommended using cold water sea kelp every four weeks during the growing season.

Fungi and Microorganisms

Fungi and microorganisms are two more products that play a crucial role in promoting healthy soil and lawn growth. Your yard is full of microbes and other organic material. Fungi and microorganisms help break down organic matter for your grass to increase nutrient availability. Adding beneficial fungi and microorganisms to your lawn can promote healthy soil and grass growth.