Mow for stress tolerance
UMN recommends maintaining typical Midwest lawns at 3 inches or higher and increasing height during mid-summer to improve stress tolerance. Avoid removing more than one-third of the blade at a time.
Water with purpose
Watch for wilt and dry soil, not just hot weather. Deep, less frequent irrigation is usually better than shallow daily watering. Brown patch risk can rise when leaves stay wet overnight during hot, humid weather.
Be careful with nitrogen
UMN warns against fertilizing cool-season lawns during hot mid-summer conditions because it can damage turf. Warm-season grasses have different summer needs, so follow the grass-specific calendar and soil test.
Product categories to compare
Summer product needs may include fungicides, insecticides, wetting agents, potassium fertilizers, or iron. Use the Price Board only after the problem category is clear.