Don’t Give Up on Your Long Island Lawn in August
By the time August arrives on Long Island, your lawn has already been through a lot. Weeks of heat, strong sun, stretches without rain, sudden summer downpours, foot traffic, and regular mowing can all take their toll. A lawn that looked thick and green in May may suddenly have brown patches, thin areas, weeds, or sections that just don't look as healthy as they did earlier in the season.
Don't give up on it yet.
August can be one of the toughest months for a Long Island lawn, but a lawn that looks stressed isn't necessarily a lawn that needs to be replaced. In many cases, what you do during the final weeks of summer can make a big difference as your property heads into fall.
Brown Grass Doesn't Always Mean Dead Grass
When grass turns brown during a hot Long Island summer, homeowners sometimes assume they've lost the lawn. That's not always the case.
Grass can become stressed or dormant during extended periods of heat and dry weather. This is a natural response that helps the plant conserve energy until conditions improve.
Before making any major decisions, look at the overall condition of the lawn. There may still be a healthy root system underneath grass that doesn't look particularly impressive on the surface.
Don't Try to Fix Everything With More Water
When the lawn starts turning brown, the first reaction is usually to turn on the sprinklers more often. More water, however, isn't automatically better.
Frequent, shallow watering can encourage roots to remain closer to the surface, making the grass more vulnerable to heat and dry conditions. Deeper watering at appropriate intervals can encourage a stronger root system.
Early morning is generally the best time to water because less moisture is lost to evaporation than during the hottest part of the day.
Also pay attention to how different areas of your property respond. A section receiving full afternoon sun may behave very differently from grass beneath trees or alongside the house.
Raise That Mower
August is not the time to give your lawn an extremely short haircut.
Leaving grass slightly taller helps shade the soil, protect the root system from intense summer sun, and retain moisture. Cutting a heat-stressed lawn too short can make an already difficult situation worse.
You should also avoid removing too much of the grass blade during a single mowing. If the lawn gets a little long while you're away or between cuts, gradually bring it back to your normal height rather than cutting it dramatically shorter all at once.
Don't Assume Fertilizer Is the Answer
A struggling lawn can make you want to immediately fertilize it to bring back that spring-green appearance.
Be careful.
Trying to force aggressive growth when grass is already dealing with significant heat or drought stress isn't always the best approach. Late summer lawn care should be about helping the grass make it through difficult conditions and preparing it for the cooler weather ahead.
September and fall can provide much better opportunities to concentrate on recovery and strengthening your lawn.
Look at Where the Problems Are Happening
August is actually a great time to learn something about your property because summer stress tends to expose problems.
Take a walk around your yard and look closely.
Are the same areas always turning brown? Are there spots where water collects after a heavy thunderstorm? Is grass thinning underneath certain trees? Are weeds taking over one particular area? Is soil washing away along a slope? Are there sections that remain soggy long after the rest of the property dries?
Those patterns matter.
Sometimes what looks like a lawn problem is actually related to drainage, grading, soil conditions, shade, heavy traffic, or the way the overall landscape was designed.
Take Care of Your Trees, Shrubs and Planting Beds Too
Your lawn isn't the only part of the landscape dealing with August heat.
Trees, shrubs, flowers, and planting beds can all show signs of summer stress. Look for wilting, discoloration, dry soil, damaged branches, excessive weed growth, and plants that simply aren't thriving where they were planted.
Mulch can also help planting beds retain moisture and protect the soil, but piling excessive mulch around the trunks of trees and shrubs can create its own problems. Proper installation matters.
Start Thinking About Fall
August may feel like the middle of summer, but fall isn't far away.
This is a great time to begin looking at what you'd like to improve around your property. Maybe there are lawn areas that need attention, overgrown landscaping that needs to be redesigned, shrubs that aren't working in their current locations, drainage problems that became obvious during summer storms, or a section of the property you've been wanting to improve.
Planning now gives you an opportunity to take advantage of the cooler conditions ahead rather than waiting until next spring to start thinking about your property again.
Your Lawn Can Look Rough in August and Still Come Back Strong
A Long Island lawn doesn't have to look like it did in May to be healthy in August. Summer is stressful, especially after weeks of heat and sun.
Keep mowing properly, water intelligently, watch for patterns around your property, and don't overreact to a few weeks of brown or thinning grass.
Most importantly, don't give up on your lawn.
At Top of the Line Landscaping, we've been caring for and improving Long Island properties since 1991. We understand how our local lawns, plants and landscapes respond to the changing seasons and how important proper planning is to getting lasting results.
If your lawn or landscaping has taken a beating this summer, August is a good time to figure out why and start planning for a stronger, healthier property this fall.
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