Winning the Summer Lawn Battle

6 hours ago
2 min read

Hot days. Bright sunshine. Backyard cookouts.

Summer is great for people but it's also prime time for crabgrass.

If your lawn suddenly looks like it's growing faster than ever—but not in a good way—you may have an unwelcome guest moving in. Crabgrass is a bit like that neighbor who only shows up when there's free food. It waits for your lawn to become stressed from the summer heat, then quickly fills in any thin or bare spots. If you notice light green, coarse patches spreading across your yard, chances are crabgrass has found an opening.

The good news?

A thick, healthy lawn is still the best defense. Crabgrass has a much harder time moving into dense, healthy turf.

So how do you grow a stronger lawn?

It starts with one of the simplest and most misunderstood parts of lawn care.

Creating a Lush Lawn Starts with Watering Right

When temperatures climb into the 90s, it's tempting to think: "I'd better water every day!" Surprisingly, that's one of the biggest mistakes we see. Frequent, shallow watering encourages grass roots to stay close to the surface, where they dry out quickly. It can also create ideal conditions for lawn disease and fungus.

Think of it this way...

If you only took tiny sips of water all day long, you'd never have a reason to go looking for a full drink. Grass works the same way. Instead of watering a little every day, give your lawn a long, deep drink just one or two times each week.

Deep watering encourages roots to grow farther into the soil, where moisture lasts longer. The deeper the roots, the stronger your lawn becomes and the fewer opportunities crabgrass has to move in.

The result?

· Stronger roots

· Better drought tolerance

· Healthier, greener turf

· Fewer bare spots for crabgrass to invade

Sometimes, watering less is actually giving your lawn more.

Is Your Lawn Really Thirsty?

Here's where things get tricky. An overwatered lawn and an under-watered lawn can look surprisingly similar.

Wilting.

Yellowing.

Droopy blades.

Before reaching for the sprinkler, do one simple thing: Stick your finger a couple of inches into the soil. If the soil is still damp, your lawn probably doesn't need more water. If it's dry, then it's time for a deep soak.

This quick check can help prevent one of the most common summer lawn mistakes and keep your grass growing strong enough to naturally crowd out weeds. (This tip goes for all your plants!)