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Summer is the hardest season on your lawn. Heat, drought, surprise storms, and uninvited pests mean keeping your grass green takes a different game plan than spring. It's also peak season for ticks, mosquitoes, and grubs (btw, our natural pest control handles them without the harsh stuff).
The good news: with the right routine, you can get your lawn through the hottest stretch of the year naturally. No synthetic chemicals, no losing your weekends.
What your lawn needs in July depends on where you live. A Texas lawn fighting 100-degree heat has very different needs than a Pacific Northwest lawn in a dry spell. That's why we've broken out summer tips by region below.
Use our natural playbook for what every lawn faces in summer: watering, mowing for heat, feeding without burning, weeds, and reviving grass that's gone crispy. Want to skip the guesswork? Our custom lawn plans build a routine around your exact lawn, and our natural lawn care products handle the rest.
Get your summer lawn care plan.
Take our quiz to find out the best way to treat your lawn this summer based on your climate and soil type.
Frequently asked questions
Summer Lawn Care FAQs
How often should I water my lawn in summer?
Most lawns need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week in summer, including rainfall. Water deeply and less often — two or three longer sessions beat daily light sprinkling, because deep watering trains roots to grow down where the soil stays cooler and moister.
Water early in the morning, before about 9 a.m., so the grass dries during the day and you lose less to evaporation.
How do I keep my grass green in summer?
Mow high, water deep, and feed gently. Raising your mower to 3–4 inches shades the soil and keeps roots cooler, deep morning watering builds drought resilience, and a light natural feeding keeps color without forcing the fast growth that stresses grass in the heat. Skip heavy fertilizing and chemical weed killers during a heat wave — both can scorch an already-stressed lawn.
Should I fertilize my lawn in summer?
Yes, but lightly and with the right product. Cool-season lawns in the north want only a gentle summer feeding, while warm-season lawns in the south are actively growing and can take more. A slow-release, natural summer lawn fertilizer feeds steadily without the growth surge and burn risk that come with synthetic quick-release products
in hot weather.
What's the best mowing height for summer?
Set your mower to one of its highest settings — generally 3 to 4 inches for most grass types. Taller grass shades the soil, holds moisture longer, and crowds out weeds. Never remove more than a third of the blade in a single mow, and keep your blade sharp so you're cutting cleanly instead of tearing.
Is it bad to use weed killer in the summer?
Usually, yes. Many weed killers work less reliably and are more likely to damage your lawn once temperatures climb past the mid-80s, and a heat-stressed lawn is in no shape to recover from added chemical stress. In summer it's better to spot-treat weeds naturally, mow high to crowd them out, and save broad weed control for the
cooler, more forgiving days of early fall.
