Protecting Your Lawn (and Home) From the Summer Heat

When we think of summer, the first word that comes to mind is often heat. But alongside that heat comes a potential danger to both your house and lawn: dryness. February is typically our hottest month, and even with rain, the sun shines brightly, constantly drying the earth beneath your lawn. While long, dry grass is an obvious fire hazard, stirring up the dry dust underneath your lawn can also increase the risk of fire spreading.

To help protect your lawn and home this summer, our experts at Jim’s Mowing NZ have put together a few essential tips for safe and effective lawn care during the hottest months of the year.

In this Jim’s Mowing blog, you’ll learn:

  • The best time of day to water your lawn for maximum absorption.
  • Why a longer cut protects your lawn from drought.
  • Simple steps to keep your underlying soil healthy and cool.
  • Essential safety checks for your mowing equipment.

1. Keep Your Lawn Deeply Watered

Especially in dry years, keeping your lawn adequately watered is the best way to reduce the amount of dry dust and brittle grass, protecting your lawn from heat stress and preventing that dreaded yellowing. Proper watering also encourages your grass to grow deep roots, making it more resilient.

Deep and Infrequent is Best

We recommend watering your lawn deeply and infrequently throughout the week. Watering every 2-3 days, rather than lightly every day, forces the roots to seek moisture deep in the soil, improving drought tolerance.

Timing is Crucial

Watering in the early morning is highly beneficial, as it helps the water soak into the lawn before the hottest part of the day, allowing the blades to dry before nightfall. Watering at dusk is the next best option. Watering late morning or in the afternoon is less effective, as most of the water will evaporate before it has a chance to soak into the soil.

Conserving Water

If your area is experiencing water restrictions, be resourceful with your water saving. Saving buckets of water from the shower, using grey water from laundry (where permitted), or utilising rainwater tanks will all help you repurpose water for proper lawn care.

2. Don’t Mow Your Lawn Too Low

It’s tempting to want to mow your lawn short during summer to tidy up the long, dry grass. However, mowing your lawn too low can actually lead it to dry out quicker and put it under severe stress.

  • Protect the Crown

Like any plant, cutting or pruning too much means the plant must redirect energy from vital functions, such as deep root growth, to repairing the leaf blade.

  • Shade the Soil

Longer grass blades naturally shade the soil underneath. This insulation keeps the soil cooler and drastically slows down moisture evaporation.

  • Adjust Your Mower

Your lawn won’t need the same short mow it requires during times of lush growth in spring. Lift up your mower blade and cut a little longer to make sure you’re not stifling the necessary, but slow, growth that your lawn needs during summer. A slightly longer lawn is a healthier lawn when temperatures soar.

3. Keep the Soil as Healthy as Possible

Summer is harsh on the soil beneath your lawn, and it often needs a little more TLC than usual. Healthy soil is the key to holding moisture and feeding the grass roots.

Avoid Compaction

Aside from watering, try to avoid compacting the soil of your lawn where you can. Compacted soil blocks water and air penetration, essentially suffocating the grass roots and preventing deep watering from being effective.

Manage High Traffic

We know you want to enjoy your yard in summer, but keep an eye on areas of high foot traffic, such as children’s play zones or outdoor furniture areas. If you move games or walkways to different areas throughout the season, you may find that one particular part of your lawn doesn’t deteriorate more than the rest.

Nutrient Boost

If your lawn needs more than just water, a light fertilisation can help to give your grass and soil the extra boost of nutrients it needs to withstand heat stress. Use a slow-release, low-nitrogen fertiliser during the height of summer.

Fire Risk Warning

Avoid mulching while mowing during dry spells. Leaving excessive dry clippings on the lawn creates easily combustible material and poses a further fire risk.

4. Check Your Machinery for Safety

This is a critical step for fire prevention during hot weather, whether you’re a homeowner or a professional. It’s important to make sure your machinery is operating properly, especially when ambient temperatures are high and the ground is dry.

  • Sharp Blades

A sharp mower blade helps keep your lawn healthy by making a cleaner cut, allowing the grass to heal faster to promote further growth. Dull blades rip and tear the grass, causing unnecessary stress and creating frayed tips that dry out quickly, turning yellow.

  • Cleanliness

Clean air filters and engine parts help ensure your equipment doesn’t fill up with dry dust and debris, which can become fuel for a spark.

  • Spark Arrestor

Make sure your spark arrestor is clean and fitted correctly. This small but vital component prevents sparks from escaping the engine and leading to fire. A carbon-clogged arrestor can also act as a fuel source, so regular cleaning is essential.

Jim’s Mowing NZ: Professional Lawn Care Services

Is your lawn looking a little brown, stressed, or worn out this summer? Sometimes, reviving a drought-stricken lawn requires professional intervention, such as aeration, deep-core watering, or specialist fertilisation.

Our experts at Jim’s Mowing NZ can help nurture your lawn back to health, safely managing high-risk dry grass areas:

  • Summer Mowing: Our professionals use correctly maintained, sharp equipment and always adjust the cut height to protect your lawn from heat stress.
  • Weed and Pest Management: We can provide targeted treatments to eliminate pests and weeds that further stress your grass.
  • Lawn Fertilisation and Aeration: We can assess your soil health and apply the right nutrients and aeration techniques to encourage deep root growth and maximum water retention.

For more information on keeping your lawn healthy year-round, check out our Lawn Care Tips on our site.

Conclusion

Protecting your lawn during the height of summer is about more than aesthetics; it’s about safety and future resilience. By prioritizing deep watering, lifting your mower blades, taking care of your soil, and ensuring your machinery is fire-safe, you can minimize heat stress and fire risk, allowing your grass to bounce back quickly when the cooler weather arrives.

If you need a professional to take over the heat-of-summer maintenance, call Jim’s Mowing on 0800 454 654 for your free no-obligation quote or book online today to find a professional mower near you.