Caring for Drought Stressed Lawns
Drought and extremely high temperatures can leave your lawn looking like this.
If you allow your lawn to go dormant during hot dry spells, leave it dormant until cooler temperatures and rains return so nature can get it growing again. Those lawns taken in and out of dormancy with irregular watering are the most stressed and less likely to recover.
Do provide lawns with 1/4 inch of water once a month during extended droughts. This keeps the crown of the plant alive without breaking dormancy.
Further protect your lawn by minimizing foot and equipment traffic that can injure the drought-stressed grass.
And do not apply weedkillers and high nitrogen fast release fertilizers to the lawn in summer. These chemicals can damage your lawn during hot weather. Plus, new weeds are the first to replace those the herbicide killed.
A bit more information: Proper fertilization will increase your lawn's ability to survive the stresses of heat, drought, and pests. Leave short clippings on the lawn to return moisture, nutrients, and organic matter to the soil. Use a low nitrogen slow release fertilizer, like Milorganite, that encourages slow steady growth and wont burn the lawn during hot dry weather.
Related
Audio
Audio
Categories
Upcoming
Events & Webinars
Oct. 6, 2026
Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference
(registration is closed)
La Crosse, WI
Oct. 22, 2026
Growing Flavorful Herbs
& Veggies Indoors
Wauwatosa Public Library
Wauwatosa, WI
More information
WATCH ON-DEMAND WEBINARS
MORE UPCOMING EVENT DETAILS
Book an Appearance
Sign up for Melinda's free newsletter for a chance to win 1 bag of Summit Mosquito Bits
and Summit Sticky Traps
ENTER NOW
