How do I keep my lawn green in summer?
Quick answer
Mow higher, water deeply and less often within your local rules, and make sure water is actually soaking in. Apply a wetting agent before summer on sandy or dry-patch-prone soil, feed lightly at the label rate while the lawn is growing, and watch for lawn grubs and armyworm. Some browning in a heatwave or under restrictions is normal.
Why this happens
Summer is when lawns work hardest. Heat and wind pull water out of the grass and soil, sandy soils can turn water-repellent, and pests are most active. A green summer lawn comes from a handful of habits started before the heat arrives.
Mow higher. Taller grass shades the soil, keeping it cooler and slowing evaporation, and the grass has more leaf to work with. Raise the mower a notch for summer and follow the one-third rule: never remove more than a third of the leaf in one mow.
Water deeply, less often, in the morning. Deep watering builds deeper roots that ride out hot spells. Measure what your sprinklers deliver with a catch-cup test, water early in the morning, and stay within your local water rules.
Make sure water gets in. If patches stay brown despite watering, check for water-repellent soil. A wetting agent applied in late spring, before the soil dries right out, and re-applied as the label directs, keeps water soaking in.
Feed lightly. A lawn that’s actively growing in summer benefits from a light feed at the label rate, which also helps it recover from wear. Hold off during heatwaves and before heavy rain.
Watch for pests. Lawn armyworm and lawn grubs are active in the warm months, and both cause brown patches. Check at dusk for caterpillars, and lift turf at the edge of brown patches to look for grubs, before assuming it’s just dry.
When brown is normal
In a long heatwave, or when water restrictions are in place, warm-season grasses can brown off to protect themselves and green up again once conditions ease. A lawn that’s been watered deeply and mown high through spring is far more likely to bounce back.
It depends on your grass and climate
| If you have… | What changes |
|---|---|
| Subtropical and tropical | Summer rain often does much of the watering. Watch for armyworm, grubs and disease in humid spells. |
| Temperate | Hot, dry spells are the main stress. Wetting agent and deep watering before heatwaves help most. |
| Arid and inland | Water is the limit. Keep the lawn area to what you can water well. |
Rows that match the grass and climate zone you've set are highlighted. Set your climate zone
What you can do
Check water is soaking inCheck first
Do the water drop test on any dry patches, and a catch-cup test on your sprinklers.
Check for pestsCheck first
Look for armyworm at dusk and grubs under brown patches before assuming it's just dry.
Raise the mower
Longer leaves shade the soil and the grass copes better with heat. Never take more than a third off at once.
Water deeply and less often
Early morning, within your local rules, applying the full amount in one session.
Wetting agent before the heatProduct step
Apply a wetting agent at the label rate in late spring and through summer as the label directs.
Feed lightlyProduct step
A light feed at the label rate while the lawn is growing; avoid feeding in a heatwave.
What not to do
- Mowing short to reduce mowing in summer.
- Feeding heavily during a heatwave.
- Treating every brown patch as dry soil without checking for grubs.
How much do I need?
Place straight-sided containers around the zone, run it for a set time, then measure the depth of water in each with a ruler. How to do a catch-cup test
Run time for this zone
Enter at least two cup readings, the test time and the water you want to apply.
Log it
Keep a record of what you applied, when, and at what rate. Your Lawn Journal works on this device without an account, and reminds you when the next step is due.
What's next
Related grass types, weeds, pests and diseases
Lawn problems
Related questions
Related guides
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Sources
- Healthy Lawns: cutting off one-third of the grass blade, UC Statewide IPM Program, University of CaliforniaThe one-third rule. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- How much water does my garden need?, Water Corporation (Western Australia)Summer watering amounts and timing (Perth and South West). Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Bring your brown lawn back to life, Water Corporation (Western Australia)Wetting agents and water-repellent soils. Accessed 4 October 2026.
- Native armyworm (including lawn armyworm, Spodoptera mauritia), Business Queensland, Queensland GovernmentLawn armyworm in spring and summer. Accessed 4 October 2026.