How to Recognize and Manage Heat Stress in Your Lawn

Prolonged hot and dry weather can lead to heat stress on the grass. This can cause the grass to turn brown and become a magnet for weeds and pests, potentially leading to more serious diseases.

This situation is often compounded by the drought that usually accompanies the summer heat. It exacerbates the problem by depriving your lawn of the necessary moisture to stay green and healthy. Additionally, water restrictions commonly in place during these times make lawn care even more challenging, leaving your grass vulnerable and stressed.

Recognizing the signs of heat stress in lawns can help you catch the issue early and prevent further damage. It allows you to maintain a healthy lawn despite the harsh summer conditions.

How Excessive Heat Damages Grass

Sunlight is essential for plant growth, providing the energy required for photosynthesis. However, excessive heat, along with warm nights and little to no rainfall, can be detrimental, leading to dry lawns as the soil loses moisture. These challenging conditions can cause the roots to shrink in an attempt to reduce their water needs and conserve energy.

Many warm-season grasses, like Bermuda, St. Augustine, and St. Augustine grass, are naturally drought-tolerant due to their deep, dense root systems that access moisture deep within the soil. In survival mode, these grasses can also use stored energy to withstand intense heat. But then, even the healthiest lawns can succumb to heat stress when temperatures soar for extended periods without enough water, causing the grass to dry and eventually die.

Identifying the Signs of Heat-Stressed Grass

If it's any consolation, a heat-stressed lawn will display clear signs of distress—a call for you to take precautions and prevent your grass from dying out.

• Lingering Footprints: One of the earliest signs of heat stress is when footprints remain visible on the grass hours after walking on the lawn.
• Discoloration: Heat-stressed grass will also appear discolored, turning gray or a darker shade of green before eventually browning. The discoloration typically starts at the tips of the grass blades and spreads downwards.
• Curling: When severely stressed, the grass will start to curl, become crusty, and turn brown. If left unattended, it can lead to its eventual demise.

In all these stages of lawn heat stress, the grass will struggle to absorb the nutrients it needs, accelerating its decline. But, besides lawn stress, it's essential to check for other potential issues that could cause brown patches in your lawn, exacerbated by drought conditions.

These include pests and diseases. For example, if sections of turf lift up like a carpet or new sod, you may have a grub infestation, where grubs are eating away at the roots. Make sure to check for other insects like chinch bugs and fungal diseases like brown patch disease or dollar spot, which can be equally damaging to your lawn.

You should also test for soil compaction, which can prevent healthy root growth due to the lack of air and water. Push a screwdriver into your lawn—if it's difficult and doesn't go in smoothly, your lawn may be compacted and needs aerating.

Managing Heat and Drought Stress in Lawns

Heat and dry weather are major stressors for grass, exacerbating existing issues your otherwise green lawn may already be facing. The key to managing these stressors is to strengthen your lawn so it can better withstand the challenging conditions. Here are some effective strategies to help your lawn stand up to heat and drought stress:

Avoid Foot Traffic

When you walk on well-hydrated grass, the blades bounce back easily. However, on a dry lawn, the grass stays beaten down. It can also easily get damaged because it's crunchy. Heavy traffic on dry soil can also lead to further soil compaction, preventing air, water, and nutrients from effectively reaching the grass roots. To minimize stress, avoid traffic on your lawn during extreme temperatures.

Delay Mowing Stressed Grass

Warm-season grasses grow vigorously in temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, requiring frequent mowing. However, the extremely hot summer months can stress the grass. In such conditions, it's best to wait until the weather becomes more favorable before mowing. Mowing is inherently stressful for grass, and doing so during a lengthy dry spell or severe drought can exacerbate the problem. When you mow, raise the mowing height to help shade the roots and crown, preserving moisture. Ensure your mower blades are sharp to cleanly cut the grass and reduce moisture loss.

Hold Off on Feeding

When stressed, grass growth significantly slows down or stops altogether, particularly during drought. So, feeding your lawn during this time will not be effective and can simply lead to waste. Instead, prepare your lawn for this situation by fertilizing in early summer. You can resume fertilizing once the weather cools down and the rains return to help your lawn bounce back quickly.

NutriPod® grass fertilizer is an excellent solution for new grass plugs. Its slow-release formula gradually dissolves to match your lawn's needs during its initial establishment stages, providing nourishment for up to 45 days.

Watering

Watering is arguably the most essential factor in summer lawn care. Warm-season grasses thrive with 1-1.5 inches of water per week provided through rainfall or irrigation. Supplemental watering is acceptable during prolonged dry periods to compensate for excessive water loss.

For the most effective watering, water your lawn in the morning until 10 a.m.. Less water is lost to evaporation, and your lawn has time to dry off before nightfall. Watering in the afternoon leads to significant water loss through evaporation, while watering at night creates a moist environment conducive to fungal growth.

Establish a Drought-Tolerant Lawn with SodPods® Grass Plugs

Next time you're starting a lawn from scratch or repairing a drought-damaged lawn, consider planting a more resilient grass variety, such as warm-season grasses. Introducing these grasses as grass plugs offers the advantage of mature plants with established root systems, requiring less watering than seeds during the initial establishment stage. Expertly cultivated to thrive in more challenging conditions, these grass plugs give you a better chance of creating a healthy, resilient lawn.

By following these strategies, you can help your lawn manage heat and drought stress more effectively, ensuring it stays healthy and vibrant throughout the challenging summer months.