Hot, dry summers here in Northeast Ohio turn some of the greenest, best kept lawns a straw-like color with bright green weeds scattered throughout. People contact us here at Portage Turf Specialists asking what’s happening with their lawn. “Is my lawn dead?”, “When can I expect the lawn to recover from this drought?”, “Where are these new weeds coming from?”etc. etc. We are here to help — call Portage Turf Specialists at (330) 296-8873 or visit us online to request a free quote.

Turfgrass varieties handle high temperatures in different ways. Some very popular grass types go dormant and stop growing until conditions improve. We also find that our region has potassium and phosphorus-deficient soils that prevent plants from utilizing their internal ability to withstand heat stress. Then, to make matters worse, many local weeds love hot summer weather and quickly invade our sleeping lawns.

So what now?

• The most obvious way for lawns to recover from drought and heat stress is through watering deeply a few times a week.
• We also suggest a laboratory soil test to see if mineral deficiencies are contributing to the lawn’s condition.  Then we can offer mineral replacement options to improve your soil health.
• Aeration punches 2 to 3 inch holes in to the turf, breaking up the compacted soil and allowing air, water and nutrients to get to the root system. A yearly aeration service improves soil health and in turn, plant health.
• Over-seeding with aeration is a smart choice. Aeration breaks up the ground and creates a perfect seed bed. We chose only the best seed varieties; new hybrid seed mixtures that will fill in your bare spots with drought tolerant, disease tolerant, beautifully green grass varieties.
• If you’re like us, you’re trying to keep your lawn care as organic and natural as possible. A yearly aeration and overseeding will drive out weeds naturally so that we won’t have to use chemical solutions as much in the future.
• We suggest finishing all overseeding off right with a rich organic starter fertilizer that will allow higher germination and strong healthy grass.

Soil health management, aeration and overseeding with superior seed varieties, mowing at the highest setting, and proper watering are all excellent ways to combat harsh Northeast Ohio summers. Contact us today for a customized proposal for your lawn. (330) 296-8873

Portage Turf Specialists: Putting the CARE Back in Lawncare Since 2007!