The summer of 2011 was almost as bad on our cool season turf grass lawns as the summer of 2010.
The extremely cold and wet springs during both years prevented the roots from forming to support the grass during the summer months.
Both summers got extremely hot early in May and never cooled down. The grass plants functioned at a deficit all summer long because of the lack of roots. Between the heat and the lack of rain, all of our lawns suffered.
Thank goodness it cooled off in September and we have had a wonderfully warm Fall. There have not been any hard freezes along the North Shore, allowing our grass the chance to recover. Hopefully, everyone applied the Fall lawn fertilizer on Labor Day weekend, giving the grass plants the building blocks to make new roots while the soil has been comparatively warm.
This next tip will help your lawn get even stronger: Apply a “winterizer” application of lawn fertilizer now (and until the end of November). The roots and rhizomes will continue to grow as long as the soil temperatures are over 40 degrees Farenheit, creating a healthy foundation for a lawn that will be too thick for weeds to grow next year. Continue watering until the soil freezes solidly (usually the first week in December), and you will have the best lawn on the block!
