Weed, Feed & Reseed For Healthier Turf
A well-tended lawn in late summer is the promise of a green tomorrow.
- Anonymous
As temperatures begin to ease and rainfall increases, your lawn, especially cool-season grasses like Kentucky Bluegrass, Fescue, and Perennial Ryegrass, starts to perk up after the summer heat. Late summer is the ideal time to rejuvenate your yard, restore color, and outcompete those pesky broadleaf weeds.
Now is the best time to eliminate Dandelions and other broad-leaved weeds. Use weed and feed or spot treat with your favorite method while the weeds are actively growing. Not only will this clear your lawn now, but it will also help prevent weed outbreaks next spring!
Lawn fertilizer is very welcome at this time of year and will help to beef up your turf and get it looking great. Whether you use chemical or organic fertilizers, if you only fertilize once a year...this is that time! Combine this with overseeding and repairing bare spots, and you'll set the stage for a thick, healthy lawn all through fall.
- Weed Control: Hit 'Em While They're Down
- Fertilizing: The One Time You Must Feed
- Watering Tips: Deep, Infrequent & Smart
- Mowing Tips: Raise That Blade!
- Overseeding & Patch Repair: Seed While It's Warm
- Lawn Care in Hot Climates
- Caring For Warm-Season Turf Grasses
- Common Warm-Season Turf Grasses
- Stopping Summer Dormancy In Cool-Season Lawns
- Common Cool-Season Grasses
- Pro Lawn Care Add-Ons
Step-by-Step Late Summer Lawn Maintenance Guide
Let's walk through what your lawn needs now for long-term turf health and beauty:
1. Weed Control: Hit 'Em While They're Down
Broad-leaf weeds are actively growing in late summer, which makes them especially vulnerable. Dandelions, Plantain, Clover, and Thistle can all be knocked back with:
- A selective weed and feed treatment
- Spot treatments using organic or synthetic broadleaf herbicides
- Manual removal for small patches or isolated offenders
Do this before cooler weather slows their growth. Removing weeds now also reduces seed heads next spring!
2. Fertilizing: The One Time You Must Feed
Late summer into early fall is the best time to fertilize cool-season lawns. Why?
- Roots are active and ready to absorb nutrients
- Top growth slows, so nutrients go to root strength and root formation
- Helps the lawn recover from summer stress
- Prepares grass for winter dormancy
Choose a balanced lawn fertilizer or one high in nitrogen (slow-release preferred). Organic fertilizers also work beautifully! Just remember: if you're only going to fertilize once a year, this is the time to do it. Just don't overdo it.
Avoid fertilizing cool-season grasses during peak summer heat, heatwaves, or prolonged drought, especially if your area has water restrictions. Unless your lawn is actively growing under consistent irrigation, applying fertilizer during these conditions can lead to leaf and root burn, stress, or even long-term damage. Fertilizer that isn't properly watered in can do more harm than good.
3. Watering Tips: Deep, Infrequent & Smart
Watering correctly now can keep your lawn green and reduce dormancy in cool-season grasses:
- Water deeply and infrequently: 1" per week, including rainfall
- Early morning watering is best to reduce evaporation and disease risk
- Adjust based on rainfall, don't overwater!
- Try the Finger Test before turning on the sprinklers
- Read more about deep watering your lawn here!
Keeping your lawn hydrated in late summer ensures your fertilizer works effectively and boosts seed germination for any new patches.
4. Mowing Tips: Raise That Blade!
As temps start to drop, raise your mower blade to 2.5 - 3.5 inches for most cool-season grasses. This helps:
- Shade soil to reduce weed seeds from sprouting
- Retain moisture
- Promote deeper roots
- Prevent heat stress
Keep blades sharp for clean cuts, and avoid removing more than 1/3 of the grass height at once if possible.
5. Overseeding & Patch Repair: Seed While It's Warm
Now is the time for new lawn seeding and overseeding! Soil warmth and late summer rains make for ideal conditions!
- Rake and loosen compacted bare spots
- Add a layer of enriched topsoil or compost
- Choose a high-quality cool-season grass seed
- Water gently and consistently until germination
- Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizer on new seed until it establishes
If you're doing a full overseed, mow your lawn short and bag clippings before applying seed.
Lawn Care in Hot Climates
In hot or arid regions, lawn care needs extra attention to conserve water and prevent stress:
- Choose heat-tolerant grasses like Bermudagrass, Buffalograss, or drought-tolerant Fescues.
- Water efficiently: Early morning watering is best. Apply deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth.
- Use the Finger Test to check soil moisture before watering
- Keep mower blades high to shade roots and reduce moisture loss.
- Aerate compacted soil in late spring or early fall to improve water absorption.
- Topdress with compost or apply soil conditioners to improve water retention.
- Mulching mowers return moisture and nutrients back into the soil.
In regions with water restrictions or extreme drought, consider lawn alternatives like ornamental grasses, native or drought-tolerant groundcovers, or xeriscaping to reduce water demand and still enjoy a beautiful landscape!
Caring For Warm-Season Turf Grasses
Warm-season grasses thrive in southern climates and reach peak growth during hot summer months.
Key warm-season lawn care tips:
- Fertilizing: Fertilize during active growth; late spring through mid-summer. Use nitrogen-rich blends, but stop feeding by early fall.
- Watering: Provide 1" of water per week during hot, dry periods. Deep and infrequent watering encourages deep roots.
- Mowing: Mow to the recommended height for your grass type. For Bermudagrass and Zoysia, this is usually 1-2 inches. Try to avoid removing more than 1/3 of the grass blade at once.
- Weed Control: Use post-emergent herbicides during the growing season and pre-emergent herbicides in early spring to prevent crabgrass and summer annual weeds. Learn how to control common types of lawn weeds here and more here!
- Overseeding: In very warm climates, overseeding with Ryegrass can keep lawns green through winter, but this requires extra maintenance
Common Warm-Season Turf Grasses
- Bermudagrass: Heat- and drought-tolerant, fast-growing, ideal for full sun areas
- Zoysiagrass: Dense, carpet-like texture, tolerates moderate shade and foot traffic
- St. Augustinegrass: Broad-leaved, thrives in warm, humid areas; great for coastal regions
- Centipedegrass: Low-maintenance, slow-growing, prefers acidic soils and mild climates
- Buffalograss: Native prairie grass, extremely drought-tolerant, ideal for low-water lawns
- Bahiagrass: Tough, durable, thrives in sandy, poor soils, and resists pests and diseases
- Carpetgrass: Similar to Centipedegrass, good for moist, acidic soils in humid southern areas
- Kikuyugrass: Vigorous and aggressive, used in warm coastal areas, especially California
- Seashore Paspalum: Salt-tolerant grass for coastal or saline-affected lawns
Stopping Summer Dormancy In Cool-Season Lawns
Cool-season grasses like Fescue, Bluegrass, and Ryegrass can go dormant if stressed by summer heat. To help them stay green:
- Water regularly during dry spells
- Avoid heavy foot traffic on stressed lawns
- Don't mow too short; longer grass blades provide shade for the roots (and lead to less evaporation)
- Aerate compacted areas if needed
- Mulch mow or top-dress with compost to improve soil structure
Common Cool-Season Grasses
These turf types thrive in northern and transition zones, growing best in spring and fall when temperatures are cooler:
- Kentucky Bluegrass: Lush, dense, self-spreading via rhizomes
- Perennial Ryegrass: Fast-germinating, fine texture, ideal for overseeding
- Tall Fescue: Deep-rooted, drought-tolerant, with a coarser texture
- Fine Fescue: Includes Creeping Red, Hard, and Chewings Fescues; shade-tolerant and low maintenance
- Creeping Bentgrass: Used for golf courses; very fine-bladed, needs high maintenance
- Annual Ryegrass: Short-lived, quick cover crop or temporary overseeding option
Pro Lawn Care Add-Ons
Want to go the extra mile? Try these late summer lawn tips:
- Core aerate if your lawn is compacted or has heavy clay soil
- Apply compost tea or microbial inoculants to boost soil life
- Top-dress with screened compost for added nutrients and moisture retention
- Use arborist mulch around your tree's drip line and garden bed edges to retain soil moisture and block weeds. This also prevents damage from mowers and weed whackers to the tree's bark. (Here are more reasons why mulch is great!)
Wrapping Up The Lawn Season Right!
A little attention now saves major headaches later. By keeping up with weeds, feeding your lawn at the right time, smart watering, reseeding bare spots, and improving soil health, you'll be rewarded with a lush, resilient, and healthy lawn well into fall and beyond!
Strong roots built in late summer help your turf handle foot traffic, cooler temps, and even winter stress with ease. Plus, a thick lawn now means fewer weeds and less maintenance next spring. A little effort now truly goes a long way toward long-term lawn success!
Happy Planting!
