Why Is My Lawn Dying In the Summer Heat?

Posted on June 23, 2025

5 Reasons Healthy Grass Suddenly Loses Its Color & Resilience

Is your grass waving a white flag in the summer heat? It was thriving one minute, but now it’s a crispy mess. A lawn dying in summer can feel like a total betrayal, but most of the time, it can be saved.

From blazing heat and sneaky pests to watering mistakes and bad lawn habits, there are plenty of reasons your yard might be struggling. Let’s dig into five common culprits and how to bring your yard back from the brink.

Your Lawn Is Going Dormant Because of the Wrong Watering Schedule

Watering your lawn seems simple, but doing it wrong is the fastest way to kill grass in summer. Most homeowners don’t get it 100% correct.

The Right Way to Water?

Water early in the morning (4-8 a.m.). This reduces evaporation and fungal growth.
Aim for 1-1.5 inches in a single session. This encourages roots to grow deeper.
As for frequency, it should be at least every 7 days for most warm-season grasses. Ideally, you should water 2 times a week, with 1 inch for each session during summer’s hottest months.
Adjust your schedule if your area gets rain that week.
Use a rain gauge or a tuna can to measure how much water your lawn actually gets.

Most Common Watering Mistakes?

Watering at night, which can promote fungal growth.
Frequent, light sprinklings. This creates weak, shallow roots.
Overwatering. It drowns roots and wastes water.

A quick tip: If your grass springs back when stepped on, it’s watered appropriately. If it stays flat, it’s stressed and needs help ASAP.

Your Grass Is Stressed From Fungus or Drought

Brown grass could mean drought stress or fungus. However, the fix for each is different.

Signs of Drought Stress:

Grass turns uniformly brown or grayish.
Soil is dry and cracked.
Blades curl inward to conserve moisture.

The easiest way to fix it? Adjust your watering schedule.

Signs of Lawn Fungus:

Irregular brown patches with yellow rings.
White, pink, or black spots on grass blades.
Grass feels slimy or has a musty smell.

Here’s how to fix it:

Avoid evening watering.
Apply a fungicide (for diseases like brown patch or dollar spot).
Improve airflow by trimming overhanging branches.

Your Grass Is Brown After Mowing Too Short

Scalping your lawn weakens grass, exposes soil to heat, and invites weeds.

What Are the Best Mowing Habits for Summer?

Never cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade at once.
Keep warm-season grasses at 2-3 inches and cool-season grasses at 3-4 inches.
Sharpen mower blades. Dull blades tear grass more easily, causing stress.

What Happens If You Mow Too Short?

Roots shrink, making grass vulnerable to heat.
Soil dries out faster.
Weeds (like crabgrass) take over.
Causes stress, which weakens the plant and makes it susceptible to disease

Remember: Leave grass clippings on the lawn. They act as natural mulch!

Your Lawn Is Dying From Dog Urine

If you see small, circular dead patches, your dog’s urine could be the cause. Sorry, pet owners!

How to Fix & Prevent Dog Spots:

Flush the area with water immediately after your pup goes potty.
Train your dog to use a designated gravel or mulch area.
Apply lawn repair treatments.

There’s a myth that only female dogs can cause burns. However, that’s not true. Male dogs create these unsightly patches of grass, too.

Your Lawn Is Dying From Insect Damage to the Grass

Grubs and armyworms (beetle larvae) eat grass roots, leaving large dead patches that peel back like carpet.

Chinch bugs inject the grass blade with poison that kills it, while sod webworms eat grass blades from the top down to the crown.

Signs You Have Insects

Spongy-feeling turf.
Increased bird activity (they dig for insects.
Brown patches that don’t respond to watering.
Gray moths coming out of your lawn (the adult stage of sod webworm)

How Can You Get Rid of Insects?

Contact Fairway Lawns for a targeted treatment! Insects won’t disappear on their own. Proactive measures are essential since early intervention will save you time and money.

Let’s Save Your Yard Before It’s Too Late!

A lawn dying in summer doesn’t have to stay that way. By fixing watering mistakes, fungal issues, mowing errors, pet damage, or pests, you can bring your grass back to life.

Need professional help? Fairway Lawns offers expert solutions to keep your lawn healthy all summer. Contact us today! We proudly serve seven states and dozens of communities, ensuring high-quality lawn care and pest control services across the South: