Summer feeding
Keeps nutrition steady without stress. Feed in June, slow-release, and never in intense heat.
- When
- Jun 1 – Jun 30 (northern hemisphere) · Dec 1 – Dec 30 (southern)
- Material
- balanced slow-release fertilizer
- Rate
- 25–30 g/m² · about 5–6 lb per 1,000 sq ft
- For
- Cool-season lawns (ryegrass, fescue, bluegrass)
- Needs
- spreader
- Rule
- su-summer-fertilize · Hessayon; Mellor; Walheim
Keeps nutrition steady without stress. Don't fertilize in intense heat.
Why a summer feed
The spring feed is used up by early summer. A lighter, slow-release feed in June keeps the lawn green and dense into the hot months without forcing the lush, soft growth that a quick-release nitrogen feed would, which needs constant mowing and suffers in drought.
What and how much
A balanced, slow-release lawn fertilizer at 25–30 g/m², about 5–6 lb per 1,000 sq ft, or the rate on the label. Slow-release nitrogen feeds the grass gradually over six to eight weeks.
When and how
- In June, before the hottest weeks.
- Do not feed during a heatwave or drought; stressed, semi-dormant grass cannot use it and may scorch.
- Spread evenly in two passes at right angles, then water it in unless rain is due.
Alongside it
Mowing higher (see summer mowing height) and leaving fine clippings on the lawn return a useful share of nitrogen, which is why one summer feed is usually enough for cool-season grass.
Sources
- D.G. Hessayon — The Lawn Experthessayon
- David Mellor — The Lawn Biblemellor
- Lance Walheim — Lawn Care For Dummieswalheim