Summer Lawn Care Tips to Beat the Heat!

Keep Your Summer Lawn Green!

The summer solstice is here — and with it, the hottest stretch of the year. If your grass is already turning crispy, you’re not alone. But don’t panic! With a little Saturday morning effort and the right tricks from Jerry Baker’s gardening toolbox, you can keep your lawn lush and green all summer long. Whether you’re dealing with drought, weeds, or just tired turf, these summer lawn care tips will help your yard thrive — no sprinkler overload required.

1. Summer Lawn Care Tips Start with Smart Watering

Most folks watering gras too much in the summer or at the wrong time. Here’s how to do it right:

• Water early — before 9 a.m. to reduce evaporation.
• Water deeply, not daily — 1 inch twice a week encourages deep roots.
• Use an empty tuna can to measure how much water your sprinkler puts out in 15 minutes.
• Skip the light sprinkles — they just tease the roots and waste water.

💡 From GGB (Great Green Book): Mow your lawn after watering, not before — grass blades cut when dry lose more moisture and recover slower.

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2. Hot Weather Lawn Care, Feed Your Lawn a Mid-Summer Meal — the Baker Way

Summer heat slows grass growth, but that doesn’t mean it should go hungry. Instead of dumping down synthetic fertilizers, try this simple tonic from the SSP (Supermarket Super Products) files:

🧪 Lawn Love Tonic (SSP)

• 1 can of cola
• 1 cup of ammonia
• 1 cup of mouthwash
• 1 cup of liquid dish soap
• 1 cup of Epsom salts
• 1 can of beer

Mix ingredients in a large bucket and apply with a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer to 2,500 sq. ft. every 3–4 weeks in summer. It feeds the soil, deters bugs, and helps your grass bounce back from heat stress.

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3. Summer Lawn Care Tips Include Mowing Like a Pro

Believe it or not, how you mow makes a big difference in how your lawn weathers the heat.

• Raise the blade — taller grass shades soil and holds water better. Mow cool-season grasses (like fescue or bluegrass) at 3 to 3.5 inches.
• Keep blades sharp — dull blades tear grass and increase stress.
• Leave clippings — they act as mulch and return nutrients.

🌿 PPS Tip (Practical Problem Solvers): If your mower leaves clumps, rake them up and toss them in a compost pile — don’t smother your grass.

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4. Don’t Let Summer Weeds Take Over

Heat, bare spots, and stressed soil make your lawn vulnerable to weeds like crabgrass and spurge. Try these summer lawn care tips to help keep them at bay:

• Spot treat with a vinegar and salt spray for driveways and walkways — not on the lawn.
• In the lawn, hand-pull weeds and reseed bare patches.
• Sprinkle corn gluten meal on early summer patches to suppress future growth.

💡 From the HBL (Herbal Pharmacy) files: Mix a tea of chamomile and garlic and spray on turf to discourage fungal growth and strengthen grassroots.

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5. Revive the Rough Patches with a Quick Saturday Patch-Up

Have dead zones from dog spots, foot traffic, or summer parties? Here’s a fast fix:

• Rake out dead grass and loosen the soil.
• Mix compost + grass seed in a 3:1 ratio and spread.
• Keep it moist (not soggy) until new growth appears.

🪴 Bonus from BUG: Spray around patched areas with lemon balm tea to repel bugs while new grass fills in.

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Conclusion:

You don’t need a big budget or a lawn-care service to have a great yard this summer. Just a Saturday morning, a little pantry power, and some of Jerry Baker’s tried-and-true summer lawn care tips. Keep mowing smart, watering wisely, and feeding with care — and your grass will thank you with a lush, green carpet all season long.

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