Grass Looking Thin? Tips to Thicken Your Lawn in Summer

how-to-fix-thinning-grass

Summer is here—and with it comes heat, foot traffic, and dry spells that can make your lawn look thin, tired, or downright patchy. But even as temperatures rise, it's not too late to turn things around. Early to mid-summer is still a great time to take action and boost your lawn's thickness and overall health.

With the right strategies, including proper watering, mowing, and soil care, your grass can recover and thrive. Whether you're dealing with drought stress, compacted soil, or dead patches of grass, small changes can yield significant improvements.

One effective solution is planting grass plugs like SodPods®. These pre-grown patches of grass root quickly into your existing lawn, helping to naturally fill in thin areas without the hassle of starting from seed. Taking a proactive approach now can help you enjoy a lush, healthy lawn for the rest of the season—and beyond.

Why Is My Grass Growing So Thin?

Before you can fix a thinning lawn, it’s important to understand why it’s happening in the first place. Common causes include:

Drought stress or inconsistent watering: Without steady moisture, grass can't maintain healthy growth. This leads to shallow roots, wilted grass blades, and patchy thinning as the lawn struggles to stay green.

Compacted soil that restricts grass root growth: When soil becomes hard-packed, air and nutrients can’t reach the grass roots, making it difficult for grass to establish and spread.

Nutrient deficiencies from poor soil conditions: Grass growing in nutrient-poor soil lacks the building blocks for strong blades and healthy color, often resulting in weak or slow growth.

Excessive shade from trees: Too much shade limits sunlight exposure, which is vital for photosynthesis and dense turf growth.

Poor mowing practices: Cutting grass too short stresses it out, weakens the turf, and exposes soil, increasing the risk of thinning and weed invasion.

Pests or fungal diseases that damage the grass: Insects feeding on roots or diseases like brown patch and dollar spot can quickly cause visible damage, leading to bare patches or dead grass.

Grass thinning often happens gradually and can affect even the most established lawn. Although optional, a soil test can help you pinpoint nutrient issues or pH imbalances. Meanwhile, inspecting wilted grass blades or uneven patches can uncover problems like compaction or disease.

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Summer Lawn Care Essentials

Focusing on seasonal lawn care, which supports deeper roots and a healthier growing environment, is the key to helping your lawn recover and thicken.

Watering

Grass typically needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, including rainfall. In early summer or during hot, dry spells, it's important to water deeply and early in the morning to reduce evaporation. Avoid frequent, shallow watering, which leads to weak grass roots and encourages weeds.

Mowing

Keep your grass at its recommended height—generally 2 to 3 inches for most warm-season grasses. Taller grass shades the soil, retains moisture, and encourages deeper roots, which helps fight off drought and pests. Always use sharp mower blades and follow the one-third rule: never cut more than one-third of the grass blade at once.

Fertilizing

If the grass is growing slowly or looking pale, it may be lacking nutrients. Apply slow-release fertilizer pellets, formulated for your grass type. Avoid fertilizing during drought or extreme summer heat, as this can stress the lawn. A soil test can confirm what nutrients your lawn needs.

Aerate and Loosen Compacted Soil—If Necessary

While spring is usually the best time to aerate, light summer aeration can still be helpful in areas with compacted or heavily used soil. Aerating allows air, water, and nutrients to reach the grass roots, which encourages healthy growth. It also prepares the lawn for grass plugs or topdressing by loosening the surface and promoting better soil contact.

Fill Bare or Thin Spots with SodPods® Grass Plugs

If your lawn has bare spots, dead patches, or thinning areas, planting SodPods® grass plugs is one of the most effective ways to restore density. These pre-grown plugs are designed to root quickly into existing grass, making them ideal for targeted repairs.

Although late spring is the best time to plant grass, summer remains a viable window—especially for warm-season grasses. Varieties like bermudagrass plugs thrive in heat, offer strong drought tolerance, and require less water to establish than seeding. Perfect for small-scale repairs, SodPods® help your lawn recover naturally and efficiently.

Once established, the plugs spread to form a thicker, greener lawn. More sustainable than traditional reseeding, they’re an excellent choice for early summer lawn improvements and long-term turf health.

Feed with NutriPod™

For a boost, pair SodPods® with NutriPod™, an easy-to-use starter fertilizer pod designed to deliver essential nutrients directly to the root zone. With a 17-1-10 NPK ratio, NutriPod™ supports strong root development, encourages healthy growth, and helps prevent nutrient leaching into the soil. Simply drop it in the hole during planting—it activates with water to begin feeding immediately. Ideal for low-nutrient or compacted soils, NutriPod™ helps accelerate plug establishment and offers lasting benefits for up to 45 days.

Maintain New Growth

Once your plugs are in, protect them during their early growth phase:

  • Water daily until the plugs are rootedabout 2–3 weeks.

  • Keep foot traffic off the area.

  • Resume mowing once the grass starts spreading.

  • Consider light topdressing with compost or sand to support soil health and improve moisture retention.

Read here for a more comprehensive guide on how to water your new grass plugs.

Shade, Weeds, and Other Challenges

Even a healthy lawn can struggle in shady or problem-prone areas. If you notice thin patches under trees, prune lower branches to allow more sunlight through. For weed control, avoid herbicides on new plugs, but you can manually remove summer invaders like crabgrass or spurge.

If your grass blades are showing spots or wilting despite good care, you may be dealing with fungal diseases like brown patch. Act quickly to prevent the spread and avoid overwatering, which can worsen the issue.

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A Thicker Lawn Starts with Action

It’s never too late to start improving your summer lawn. Whether your goal is a better-looking yard or a more enjoyable outdoor space, the steps you take now will set the stage for success.

By following smart summer lawn care tips—watering, mowing, fertilizing, and plugging—you can revive thin areas and support long-term health. SodPods® make the process easier and more reliable, giving you a fast, natural way to enjoy a lush lawn without starting from scratch.

Ready to fix those thin spots? Buy grass sod pods at the SodPods® website today and watch your lawn transform.

 

Jamie Tedder

Jamie surrently serve as Vice President on the board for Turfgrass Producers of Florida. He currently oversees the production of all grasses throughout all farms in Florida at Bethel Farms. He is actively working with top grass breeders, researchers, producers and end users from public and private institutions around the country to stay up to date on current industry developments. Being a University of Florida graduate, he has applied that knowledge to over 22 years of experience growing spectacular grass!

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