Summer Lawn Care UK

Summer should be the season you enjoy your lawn, not stress about it. But between heatwaves, hosepipe bans and kids trampling the grass daily, keeping it looking good takes a bit of know-how.

The secret? Work with your lawn, not against it. Grass has survived millions of summers without our help – it knows what it’s doing. Your job is to support it, not stress it further with well-meaning mistakes.

June: Peak Growth Season

June is usually the easiest month for UK lawns. Temperatures are warm but not extreme, rainfall is often adequate, and grass grows vigorously. This is maintenance mode – keep on top of mowing and enjoy the results of your spring work.

Mowing frequency

You’ll likely need to mow twice a week in June. Growth is at its peak, and letting grass get too long before cutting stresses it more than regular trimming.

Stick to the one-third rule: never remove more than a third of the grass blade in one cut. If you’ve been away and the lawn has grown tall, bring it down gradually over several mows rather than scalping it in one go.

Mowing height

Keep your cutting height at around 3-4cm for most lawns. This is short enough to look neat but long enough to shade the soil and retain moisture. If you’re heading into a hot spell, raise the height a notch – longer grass copes better with heat and drought.

Tip: Leave clippings on the lawn (mulch mowing). They break down quickly in warm weather and return nitrogen to the soil – free fertiliser that also helps retain moisture.

Watering

In a typical British June, established lawns rarely need watering. Save your water for containers and new plantings. If we do hit a dry spell, water deeply but infrequently – one thorough soak per week encourages deep root growth, which helps the lawn survive future droughts.

July and August: Survival Mode

These are the months that test your lawn. Heatwaves, drought, and heavy use all take their toll. Your approach needs to shift from “making it look perfect” to “keeping it alive and healthy.”

When your lawn goes brown

Here’s the most important thing to understand: brown grass isn’t dead grass. When water becomes scarce, grass goes dormant. It shuts down top growth, turns brown, and waits for rain. This is a survival mechanism, not a death sentence.

A healthy lawn can survive 4-6 weeks of dormancy without permanent damage. When rain returns, it greens up within days. The worst thing you can do is panic and try to “fix” it.

X Don’t fertilise drought-stressed grass – it can’t use nutrients and you risk burning it
X Don’t scarify or aerate – you’ll damage already stressed plants
X Don’t keep mowing brown grass – there’s nothing to cut and you’re just compacting dry soil

– Do reduce foot traffic on dormant lawns
– Do accept the brown colour temporarily
– Do water deeply if you choose to water at all (see below)

To water or not to water?

This is the big summer question, and there’s no single right answer. It depends on your priorities, water availability, and how much effort you want to invest.

Option 1: Let it go dormant. This is the low-effort, environmentally friendly choice. Your lawn will look brown for a few weeks but will recover fully when rain arrives. Most UK lawns have evolved to handle this.

Option 2: Water to keep it green. If you want to maintain a green lawn through summer, you’ll need to commit to regular deep watering – typically 25mm per week, applied in one or two sessions. Shallow daily watering is worse than no watering at all, as it encourages surface roots that make the lawn more drought-vulnerable.

The middle ground: Water just enough to keep the lawn alive but not actively growing. One deep soak every 10-14 days prevents permanent damage without the commitment of full irrigation.

Summer feeding

Summer feeding is optional and needs careful timing. Feed a healthy, actively growing lawn – never a stressed or dormant one.

If your lawn is green and growing (either naturally or because you’re watering), a summer feed in July helps maintain colour and density. Use a balanced formulation rather than high-nitrogen spring feed – you want steady growth, not a flush of soft leaves that struggle in heat.

If your lawn is brown and dormant, skip the feed entirely. Wait until autumn when it’s actively growing again.

Dealing with Summer Weeds

Weeds don’t go dormant like grass – they often thrive in summer heat. Clover in particular loves dry conditions and can spread rapidly through a drought-stressed lawn.

When to treat

The best time to tackle weeds is when both they and your grass are actively growing – typically early summer (June) or early autumn (September). Avoid applying weedkiller during heatwaves or drought, as stressed grass is more susceptible to damage.

If weeds are spreading through a dormant lawn, note their locations but wait to treat until conditions improve. Autumn is often the best time for a thorough weed treatment.

Spot treatment vs blanket application

For scattered weeds, spot treatment with a ready-to-use weedkiller is more practical than treating the whole lawn. Apply directly to weed leaves on a calm, dry day when rain isn’t forecast for 24 hours.

For lawns with widespread weed problems, a combined feed-and-weed product applied in early summer or early autumn gives better results.

Summer Lawn Problems

Dry patch syndrome

Some areas of lawn stay brown even when the rest recovers after rain. This is often caused by a waxy coating that builds up in soil, preventing water penetration. It’s more common in sandy soils and areas that dry out completely.

The fix: use a lawn wetting agent (available from garden centres) to break down the waxy layer. Water thoroughly after application. Prevention is better – avoiding complete dryout helps, as does regular aeration in autumn.

Fairy rings and fungal patches

Hot, humid conditions can trigger fungal problems. Fairy rings (circles of darker green grass, sometimes with mushrooms) and brown patch disease are most common in summer.

Good lawn hygiene helps: remove grass clippings if the lawn is stressed, improve air circulation, and avoid evening watering which leaves grass wet overnight. Serious infections may need fungicide treatment, but most minor outbreaks resolve when conditions change.

Wear and tear

Summer is peak usage time – kids playing, barbecues, garden furniture. Concentrated foot traffic compacts soil and wears grass thin, especially on drought-stressed lawns.

Move play equipment and furniture regularly to spread wear. Consider laying stepping stones through heavily used routes. Accept that some wear is inevitable and plan to repair bare patches in autumn when growing conditions improve.

Late Summer: Preparing for Recovery

By late August, the worst is usually over. Days are getting shorter, temperatures are moderating, and autumn rain is on the horizon. This is the time to start thinking about recovery rather than just survival.

– Resume normal mowing as growth picks up
– Note areas that need overseeding or repair
– Plan autumn treatments (feeding, scarifying, aerating)
– If moss was a problem in spring, prepare to treat it again in autumn

The Summer Lawn Care Checklist

June:

– Mow twice weekly at 3-4cm
– Leave clippings to mulch
– Water new grass seed only
– Spot-treat weeds if needed

July-August:

– Raise mowing height before heatwaves
– Reduce mowing if grass goes dormant
– Water deeply and infrequently (or not at all)
– Avoid fertilising stressed lawns
– Reduce foot traffic on dormant grass

Late August:

– Resume normal care as conditions cool
– Assess damage and plan autumn repairs
– Consider early autumn feed

For more seasonal advice, explore our complete lawn care guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I keep my lawn green in a heatwave?

Regular deep watering (25mm per week) is the only way to keep grass actively growing through a heatwave. If you can’t commit to this, let it go dormant – it will recover when rain returns.

Should I water my lawn every day in summer?

No. Daily shallow watering encourages surface roots and makes lawns more drought-vulnerable. Water deeply once or twice a week, or not at all.

Can I apply weedkiller in hot weather?

Avoid applying weedkiller during heatwaves or to drought-stressed grass. Wait for cooler, moist conditions – early summer or early autumn is ideal.

Why does my lawn have brown patches even after rain?

This is likely dry patch syndrome, caused by water-repellent soil. A lawn wetting agent helps water penetrate. Autumn aeration also helps prevent it recurring.

When should I start autumn lawn care?

Late August or early September, once temperatures moderate and rain returns. This is the best time for overseeding, feeding, and tackling any problems that developed over summer.

Need to feed your lawn this summer? Our Summer Lawn Treatment is specifically formulated for warm-weather feeding – balanced nutrition that maintains colour without forcing soft growth that struggles in heat.