7 Summer Lawn Care Tips for Northern Nevada

Northern Nevada summers bring intense sun, dry air, wind, and long stretches without meaningful rainfall. Keeping an established lawn healthy through the hottest months requires more than simply turning up the sprinklers.

These tips are intended for established lawns that have been growing for at least one season. Newly installed sod has different watering and care requirements while its root system becomes established.

1. Water Deeply — and Water Early

Early morning is generally the best time to irrigate your lawn. Cooler temperatures and lighter winds help reduce evaporation and give water time to soak into the soil.

Rather than relying on frequent, shallow watering, established turf generally benefits from deeper watering that encourages roots to grow farther into the soil.

How much water your particular lawn needs depends on factors such as turf type, soil, temperature, wind, sun exposure and irrigation efficiency, so watch the lawn and soil rather than relying solely on a fixed schedule.

If water begins puddling or running off before the soil can absorb it, try cycle-and-soak watering. Divide the total watering time into two or three shorter cycles with time between them for the water to soak into the root zone.

2. Mow High and Keep Your Blade Sharp

During hot weather, avoid scalping your lawn. Allowing turf to remain somewhat taller helps shade the soil and protect the crown of the plant from intense summer heat.

Follow the one-third rule: try not to remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mowing.

A sharp mower blade matters, too. Dull blades tear and shred grass rather than cutting it cleanly, leaving ragged edges and adding unnecessary stress.

Mow when the grass is dry whenever possible for a cleaner, more even cut.

3. Be Careful With Summer Fertilizer

More fertilizer doesn't necessarily mean greener or healthier grass — especially during periods of extreme heat.

Heavy fertilization can encourage growth at a time when your lawn is already under environmental stress. If your lawn needs nutrients during summer, use a fertilizer appropriate for your turf type and season, and always follow the product's application instructions.

Top-dressing with compost can also add organic matter and improve soil structure over time.

4. Deal With Weeds Before They Spread

Summer weeds can establish quickly in thin or stressed areas of turf.

Keep an eye out for weeds such as crabgrass and spurge and address them before they flower and produce seed. Depending on the weed and the extent of the problem, this may mean hand-pulling or using a treatment labeled as safe for your particular turf.

Maintaining healthy, appropriately watered and properly mowed turf also helps reduce the open space weeds love to exploit.

5. Check Your Sprinkler Coverage

A brown patch isn't always a lawn problem. Sometimes it's a sprinkler problem.

Inspect your irrigation system for:

• Broken or tilted sprinkler heads
• Clogged nozzles or screens
• Leaks
• Overspray onto sidewalks and driveways
• Areas receiving noticeably less water than the rest of the lawn

If you're unsure about coverage, try a simple catch-can test.

Place several identical shallow containers—tuna cans work well—throughout both healthy and dry areas of the lawn. Run the irrigation zone for a set amount of time, then compare the amount of water collected in each container.

Large differences can reveal coverage problems that aren't obvious just by watching the sprinklers run.

6. Pay Attention to Signs of Heat Stress

Hot spots can develop near pavement, south- and west-facing exposures, slopes, windy areas, or places where irrigation coverage is poor.

Before assuming the lawn simply needs more water everywhere, investigate the affected area. Check soil moisture, sprinkler coverage and whether environmental conditions are causing that particular section to dry faster.

Correcting a localized problem is usually better than overwatering the entire lawn.

7. Know What Your Turf Is Telling You

Different turf varieties respond differently to heat, drought and water stress. Some grasses can lose color or slow their growth during stressful conditions and recover when conditions improve.

If your lawn begins browning unexpectedly, don't automatically reach for fertilizer or dramatically increase watering. First look at irrigation coverage, soil moisture, mowing practices, pests, disease and environmental conditions.

Understanding the cause can prevent you from accidentally making the problem worse.

A Healthy Lawn Starts With the Basics

Successful summer lawn care in Northern Nevada comes down to balancing water, mowing, nutrition and irrigation efficiency with the realities of our high-desert climate.

A little observation goes a long way. Your lawn's color, growth, soil moisture and irrigation performance can tell you much more than a calendar alone.

For questions about turf varieties, sod installation or lawn care in Northern Nevada, visit Dayton Valley Turf. And if you're looking to add trees, shrubs, perennials or other plants to your landscape, stop by Bonsai Blue Garden Market.