A tough summer has an heavy impact on your lawn in late summer. Performing regular maintenance and seasonal caring is the key to avoid next lawn spring hard work or even to overwhelming tasks to make to start your spring afresh.

To have a healthier and more sparkling turf next spring, do a checklist with the next tasks in late summer, because the regret that will be waiting for you if you don't will be unbearable and will cost you dearly.

Dethatching in late summer

Thatch is a layer of dead or living plant material that accumulates on your lawn between the grown grass and soil surface underneath. If thatch became too thick, a lot of life necessities wouldn't reach the turf roots, such as water, air, and more improbably, light. that will develop lawn diseases and become a nest for insects

Two ways you have to remove excess layer or dethatch your lawn in late summer

• Manually with thatching rake.
• The other way is using a power dethatcher.

Late summer is the perfect time choice for this task.

Lawn Mowing

This depends on your lawn and season, In late summer or generally, never remove more than ⅓ of the total height of the area at any one time. Make mowing a regular task each week, the same day every week. Choose early evening for each mowing to avoid midday heat and to prevent heat stress on grass, giving it a space to recover over night. Using whatever type of lawn mower you are comfortable with mentally and financially to do the task.

There are many types out there, such as manual lawn mowers, gas lawn mowers, cordless lawn mowers, and electric lawn mowers.

Lawn Aeration

Aeration is making holes in the grass to improve water, air, and nutrition movement around grass roots in the soil. The main reason for aerating is to ease soil compaction. Compacted soils mean when soil's particles are pressed together, restricting root growth, water and aeration gaining access, and nutrition loss. It could be worse for the soil if there is also thatch.

Should you areate your soil? If so, when?

You should start aerating if your grass is:

• A play ground for pets and kids.
• It endured heavy equipment or machinery.
• A part of a newly constructed house. 
• It has a sponge texture and dries out easily.

As for when it's late summer aeration, improve lawns recovery from summer heat stress and prepare them for fall. for the How, After mowing, water your lawn a day before, then use a core aerator to create holes in the soil in the whole lawn as a full coverage. 

Put the soil plugs on the lawn. They will break down and return nutrients to the soil. Then fertilize to provide soil with nutrition, then water again.

Late summer Lawn Fertilizing

Applying fertilizer in late summer stimulates turfgrass growth and encourages the grass to fill in thin spots. It needs great attention to details and performed after soil testing. To know more about fertilization, read more in this article.

Watering

Watering lawns is an essential task, as water leaks could lead to dormancy. Before June, there is no need to water lawns, but after, It should follow a schedule regularly, depending on how dry the soil is. Avoid watering around midday on hot days, most of the water will evaporate before it soaks into the ground. 

It's normal for a dry and yellow lawn to turn green again after some period, thanks to the dormancy mechanism Some rain could revive the lawn again. So no need to worry.

Lawn Reseeding

Late summer or early fall seeding has several advantages over spring seeding and a perfect condition for it. First, prepare the soil with the right moisture level without making it too wet. Then you have to spread seeds in the instructed direction according to the seeds' package. Make a full coverage spreading for the soil. Keep seeded spots moist with consistent, light watering. Apply a light fertilizer.

To Mulch or Not to Mulch

Yeah, you should mulch. Mulching is too important, with many valuable adventages to not be ignored, such as saving time and money and adding nutrients into the root system in the soil. Lawn clippings must always be mulched back to the lawn.

As for the how, it's established with a mulching lawn mower, which comes with other modified features but just like any other mower.

When to avoid mulching in late summer or generally

• If there was rain and the lawn didn't get mowling for over a week.
• If there are plenty of weeds, such as dandelions and crabgrass.
• If there has been use of chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.