A long stretch of hot, dry weather can leave your lawn looking more like straw than grass. If your turf is dull, brown, and patchy after a summer heatwave, don’t panic — it’s a common response to heat stress. The good news? Most lawns are more resilient than they appear and can bounce back with the right care.

Here’s how to revive your lawn after a heatwave using smart cultural practices and natural products, so you can restore your green, healthy turf the safe, sustainable way.

Why Lawns Struggle in Heat

When temperatures soar and rainfall disappears, your lawn goes into survival mode. Grass naturally slows its growth and may go dormant, turning brown to conserve water and energy. While this is normal and not necessarily a sign of permanent damage, prolonged stress can thin the lawn and open the door to weeds and pests.

To help your lawn recover, focus on reducing stress, supporting root growth, and restoring soil health.

Water Wisely

Deep, Infrequent Watering

After a heatwave breaks, give your lawn a good soaking — about 1 inch of water at a time. This encourages deep root growth, which makes your lawn more drought-resistant in the future.

Tip: Water early in the morning (before 10 AM) to minimize evaporation and reduce disease risk.

Don’t Overwater

Don’t try to “catch up” by watering every day. Too much water can suffocate roots and promote fungal disease.

Raise Your Mower Blades

Mowing too short after a heatwave can further stress your grass. Keep your mower at its highest setting (usually 3–4 inches) to:

• Shade the soil

• Reduce water loss

• Encourage deeper roots

If your grass is extremely dry and brittle, consider skipping mowing for a week or two until recovery begins.

Avoid Heavy Traffic

Heat-stressed lawns are more prone to damage. Limit foot traffic, heavy equipment, and even playtime in brown or thin areas until the grass greens up and thickens.

Feed the Soil, Not Just the Grass

Post-heatwave recovery is the perfect time to build healthy soil, which is key to a resilient lawn.

At Lawnbright, we recommend low-salt, natural liquid fertilizers that improve soil health while gently feeding your grass — like our Total Lawn Starter or Heat Defense Pack.

These products:

• Provide essential nutrients without burning stressed grass

• Encourage microbial activity to improve soil structure

• Help roots recover and store energy

Conventional granular fertilizers high in nitrogen and herbicides - even natural ones - can actually burn your lawn in summer and worsen stress. Go easy and natural instead.

Overseed Thin Areas (If Needed)

If heat damage has left bare or very thin patches, overseed those areas in late summer or early fall when cooler temperatures and rain help new grass establish. Use a high-quality, drought-tolerant grass seed mix and keep it consistently moist until germination. Our Seeding Pack can help lay down high-quality seed and give your lawn the nutrients it needs to jumpstart growth.

Keep an Eye on Weeds

Weeds often take advantage of weakened turf. Once your lawn begins to recover, you can spot-treat problem areas with a natural, iron-based weed control product — like Lawnbright’s Pulverize Weed Killer — that won’t harm your grass.

Be Patient: Recovery Takes Time

Your lawn didn’t dry out overnight, and it won’t rebound overnight either. With consistent care, most cool-season grasses like fescue, bluegrass, and rye will recover over a few weeks to a couple of months.

By prioritizing healthy soil and stress-reducing practices, you’re setting your lawn up for a stronger, greener future — without harsh chemicals.

Need Help? We’ve Got You Covered.

If you’re not sure what your lawn needs after a heatwave, Lawnbright can help. Our personalized lawn care subscription delivers the right natural products for your lawn and guides you step-by-step, so you can grow a healthy, beautiful yard the safe way.

👉 Take the Lawn Quiz to get started today!