Heat Stress in Lawn: Signs and Recovery Tips

Summer brings plenty of sunshine, long days, and rising temperatures. However, this hot and dry weather can spell trouble for your lawn. As extreme temperatures and drought conditions persist, lawns can become stressed, leading to dry, lackluster grass. Heat stress weakens the grass and opens the door to other issues like pests, weeds, and diseases.

The transition to fall, with milder temperatures, provides the perfect opportunity to address the damage and help your lawn recover. Understanding the signs of heat stress and taking steps to revive your lawn can restore its health and vigor in time for winter. For patchy and damaged areas, SodPods® grass plugs offer an effective way to recover and strengthen your lawn.

 Key Takeaways

• Heat stress in lawns occurs when grass can’t get enough water to survive high temperatures, leading to drying, wilting, and discoloration.
• Recovery involves aerating soil, deep but infrequent watering, and raising mowing height to protect grass from further damage.
• For severe heat stress and damage, repairing with SodPods® grass plugs is an effective way to restore damaged patches and ensure quicker establishment.

How Heat Can Affect Grass

Healthy grass provides various environmental benefits, including cooling the air, improving soil health, supporting flood and erosion control, and producing oxygen. One study found that a 25-square-foot lawn can generate enough oxygen for one person daily. But to maximize these benefits, your lawn must be in optimal condition.

During summer, the hot, sunny days and little to no rainfall are common, which can be challenging on your grass. As temperatures rise, the roots shrink to conserve water, affecting the grass's ability to absorb nutrients. When these conditions persist, the grass will tap into its reserved energy to survive the intense heat. Although warm-season grasses like Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine grass are more heat and drought-tolerant, they can eventually suffer. Despite their ability to withstand heat, extreme temperatures can still overwhelm them, leading to heat stress, which occurs when the grass cannot get enough water to keep up with the intense heat. As a result, grass may start to dry out, wilt, and die.

Signs of Heat-Stressed Grass

Recognizing the signs of heat stress early can help you take action before your lawn suffers irreversible damage. Heat stress affects grass in several ways, and there are telltale signs to look for:

Footprints that don't bounce back: If your lawn is heat-stressed, it will lose its elasticity, meaning footprints or tire marks will stay visible on the grass long after you walk or drive over it.

Discoloration: One of the most common signs of heat stress is discoloration. Heat-stressed grass often appears gray or darker green before it turns brown as the grass dries out and dies.

Curled Blades: When heat stress starts to affect your lawn significantly, the grass blades may start to curl or develop brown tips, a sign that the grass is struggling to survive.

However, remember that not all brown patches are due to heat stress alone Pests like chinch bugs or grubs, as well as lawn diseases like brown patch or dollar spot, can also cause similar symptoms. The heat and drought may exacerbate these issues, so it's essential to rule out other problems before determining whether your lawn suffers from heat stress.

How to Fix Heat-Stressed Grass

If your lawn shows signs of heat stress, don’t worry—it can still recover with the right care and attention. Here’s how to revive a heat-stressed lawn and help it thrive again.

Relieve Soil Compaction

Soil compaction limits water and air movement to the roots, making it harder for heat-stressed grass to recover. Aerate your lawn to alleviate compaction and improve water absorption. This allows the roots to breathe and access the moisture they need to recover.

Water Deeply, But Not Often

Deep watering is essential when watering your lawn. Aim to provide your lawn with about 1 inch of water per week, delivered in one or two sessions. Watering deeply encourages grass to develop deep roots, which helps it withstand heat and drought conditions. The best time to water is in the early morning when temperatures are cooler, and water can soak into the soil without evaporating.

Raise Your Mowing Height

During periods of extreme heat, mowing your grass too short can further stress your lawn. Taller grass shades the soil, keeping it cooler and helping it retain moisture. Sharpen your mower blade and adjust the height to leave the grass slightly longer, improving its overall resilience against heat stress.

Repair with Grass Plugs

If sections of your lawn have suffered significant damage from the summer heat, repairing them with grass plugs can help. SodPods® grass plugs are an efficient and cost-effective way to restore small patches of heat-damaged grass. Grass plugs establish faster than seeding, making them a practical solution for lawns recovering from heat stress. Their quicker establishment means your lawn will be able to recover sooner and become more drought-tolerant over time. Check out this guide for more detailed fall lawn care tips to protect your grass.

Should You Let Your Grass Go Dormant?

In extreme heat and drought conditions, it may be best to allow your lawn to go dormant temporarily. Dormancy is a natural defense mechanism where the grass essentially shuts down, turning brown, to conserve energy until the weather becomes more favorable. During this time, watering your lawn once a week is essential to keep the roots intact.

However, newly planted grass, including grass plugs, should not be allowed to go dormant, as they need time to establish their roots. If you’ve recently planted grass plugs, continue watering regularly to help them adapt to their new environment. Dormancy may prevent their establishment and recovery from extreme heat stress.

Final Thoughts

As summer transitions into fall, the milder temperatures and increased rainfall provide the perfect opportunity to help your lawn recover from heat stress. You can restore your lawn's health by understanding the signs of heat stress and taking proactive steps—such as watering deeply, raising your mowing height, and repairing with grass plugs. Fall is the ideal time to give your lawn the care it needs to thrive, setting the stage for a lush, green spring. With consistent care, your lawn can recover from the summer’s extreme heat and drought and be prepared for the seasons ahead.