This is the time of year when the days are sunny, long, and hot and rainfall can be few and far between. For lawns, this can cause heat and drought stress. Your lawn will require a little extra care right now in order to maintain the lush, green look we all like to look out our windows and see!

Heat stress can be confused with turf diseases and fungus, but it is typically pretty easy to identify. Areas of dry patches that may form in your lawn can start out as a gray color and will eventually turn brown. You can also usually tell if your turf is suffering from heat or drought stress by stepping on your lawn and noticing if your footprints remain there instead of springing back upright. Should you notice your footprints leaving behind white marks, then your lawn is most certainly suffering from drought stress.

Here are 3 easy ways to treat heat and drought stress:

Water thoroughly but infrequently
Aerate to help increase moisture
Let it go dormant if the heat is too strong for the lawn to overcome

The other issue you should be aware of in the hot summer season is damage from overwatering! Many people over-compensate for the heat by overwatering. However, this can be even more damaging to your turf than not watering at all. For more info on proper watering, you can refer to our blog on How to Water Your Lawn for Best Results.