- 1. Know Your Grass<\/a><\/li>
- 2. Adjust Your Watering<\/a><\/li>
- 3. Raise Your Mowing Height<\/a><\/li>
- 4. Ease Up on Fertilizer<\/a><\/li>
- 5. Get Ahead of Grub Damage<\/a><\/li>
- 6. Control Crabgrass<\/a><\/li>
- 7. Avoid Fungal Diseases<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
1. Know Your Grass<\/h2>
Lawns in Detroit are made up of cool-season grasses<\/a> like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue. These grasses thrive in spring and fall, when temperatures are mild and moisture is more consistent.<\/p>
Summer, however, is survival mode. When heat rises, cool-season grasses slow their growth and focus on staying alive rather than looking lush. <\/p>
Understanding this shift can help you understand why watering, mowing height, and fertilizer timing matter so much in Detroit summers, so you’re not trying to push growth, but helping your lawn endure the heat.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
\u2013 Guide to Growing Kentucky Bluegrass<\/a>
\u2013 Guide to Growing Perennial Ryegrass<\/a>
\u2013 Tall Fescue Lawn Maintenance Guide<\/a><\/p>2. Adjust Your Watering<\/h2>
![\"Sprinkler](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/water-grass.jpeg?wsr\")
Lawn sprinkler. Photo Credit: pridannikov<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock
<\/figcaption><\/figure>If you want your lawn to stay green throughout the summer, you may need to water it. Most grasses need about 1 inch of water per week. In some summers (especially in July), Detroit can receive that much rainfall naturally, so it’s important to monitor the weather and adjust your sprinklers accordingly.<\/p>
Here are a few tips:<\/p>
- Water deeply and less often<\/strong>, rather than giving your lawn frequent light watering.<\/li>
- Water in the early morning<\/strong> so your lawn has time to absorb moisture before the sun evaporates it.<\/li>
- Do not water in the evening<\/strong> to avoid prolonged moisture on grass blades overnight.<\/li> <\/ul>
Finally, even if you plan to let your grass go dormant, aim to apply about half an inch of water every 2 to 3 weeks so it doesn’t die.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
\u2013 How Often to Water Grass in Summer<\/a>
\u2013 How Long to Water Your Lawn in Summer<\/a><\/p>3. Raise Your Mowing Height<\/h2>
Weekly mowing is important, but how you mow matters even more during a Detroit summer. Improper mowing stresses your lawn, weakening grass over time. Here are some tips.<\/p>
- Raise your mowing height<\/strong> to around 3 inches or higher. Taller grass helps shade the soil, reducing evaporation and preventing weed seed germination.<\/li> <\/ul>
- Sharpen your mower blades<\/a> to prevent the grass blades from tearing. Grass blades that are torn, rather than cut cleanly, are more likely to lose water and turn brown.<\/li>
- Remove one-third of the grass growth<\/strong> at a time, always following the one-third rule<\/a>.<\/li>
- Leave your grass clippings behind<\/strong> on your lawn afterward, allowing them to break down naturally. Doing so returns nutrients and nitrogen to your turf, leading to a richer lawn.<\/li> <\/ul>
See Related:<\/strong> Mulching vs. Bagging Grass Clippings<\/a><\/p>
4. Ease Up on Fertilizer<\/h2>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fertilizing-lawn.jpeg?wsr\")
Lawn fertilizer. Photo Credit: adragan<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Summer is not prime fertilizing season in Detroit; prime seasons are fall (most important) and spring, when cool-season grasses are the most active. By July, they’re focused on surviving the heat, not pushing new growth, which is why heavy nitrogen applications can do more harm than good.<\/p>
If you do decide to fertilize, keep these rules in mind:<\/p>
- Keep rates low:<\/strong> About 1\/2 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is sufficient.<\/li>
- Choose <\/strong>slow-release formulas<\/a>: <\/strong>They prevent surges in growth.<\/li>
- Avoid fertilizing during heat waves: <\/strong>High temperatures combined with nitrogen can burn and stress turf.<\/li>
- Make sure your lawn is watered: <\/strong>Avoid fertilizing dormant grass.<\/li> <\/ul>
Late August to early September is a different story. As nights in the Motor City begin to cool and rainfall becomes more consistent, you can resume the typical fertilization schedule to encourage strong fall recovery.<\/p>
5. Get Ahead of Grub Damage<\/h2>
Japanese beetles are common in Michigan, and their larvae (white grubs) can damage Detroit lawns by feeding on roots. Adults lay eggs in June, and grubs hatch in early July, which is why timing is important.<\/p>
For prevention<\/strong>, apply products with active ingredients such as imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, or clothianidin between July 1 and 15<\/a>. Make sure to water the product so it reaches the root zone.<\/p>
If you miss that window, use curative products<\/strong> with trichlorfon or carbaryl between mid-August and October<\/strong>, while grubs are actively feeding.<\/p>
See Related:<\/strong><\/p>
\u2013 How to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles
<\/a>\u2013 Lawn Grubs: How and When to Kill Them<\/a><\/p>6. Control Crabgrass<\/h2>
![\"Hands](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/removing-crabgrass.jpeg?wsr\")
Removing crabgrass from lawn. Photo Credit: Dennis Oblander<\/a> \/ Adobe Stock<\/figcaption><\/figure> Crabgrass is one of the most common summer weeds in Detroit lawns. Ideally, you would have applied a pre-emergent herbicide in spring to prevent it from germinating. But even with preventive treatment, a few of them can still break through.<\/p>
The best long-term defense is a thick turf canopy (which is where raising your mower height comes in). Dense grass shades the soil, making it harder for crabgrass seeds to sprout.<\/p>
If it still manages to appear, here’s how to get rid of crabgrass<\/a>:<\/p>
- Hand-pull small plants before they go to seed, removing the entire root system; or<\/li>
- Apply a post-emergent herbicide containing quinclorac or fenoxaprop-ethyl.<\/li> <\/ul>
See Related:<\/strong> When and How to Apply Crabgrass Preventer<\/a><\/p>
7. Avoid Fungal Diseases<\/h2>
Detroit’s humid summers create ideal conditions for lawn diseases. Two of the most common in Michigan are dollar spot<\/a> and summer patch. <\/p>
Dollar spot <\/strong>often appears as small, straw-colored spots about the size of a silver dollar that can merge into larger patches. Summer patch<\/strong> typically causes circular yellow or brown areas, sometimes with green grass in the center.<\/p>
To reduce the risk of these diseases appearing:<\/p>
- Water in the early morning so the grass dries quickly.<\/li>
- Avoid overfeeding nitrogen in summer.<\/li>
- Maintain proper mowing height to reduce stress.<\/li> <\/ul>
However, if these diseases still make their way into your lawn, here’s how to handle them:<\/p>
\u2013 How to Get Rid of Dollar Spot<\/a>
\u2013 How to Prevent and Treat Summer Patch<\/a><\/p>Ready for Backyard Season in Motown<\/h2>
Detroit summers are meant for backyard cookouts, Tigers games, and long evenings outside, not constant lawn stress. <\/p>
So, if you’d rather focus on firing up the grill before first pitch than tracking grub treatment windows, LawnStarter can connect you with trusted Detroit lawn care pros<\/a> who can handle the summer maintenance for you.<\/p>
- Choose <\/strong>slow-release formulas<\/a>: <\/strong>They prevent surges in growth.<\/li>
- Remove one-third of the grass growth<\/strong> at a time, always following the one-third rule<\/a>.<\/li>
- Sharpen your mower blades<\/a> to prevent the grass blades from tearing. Grass blades that are torn, rather than cut cleanly, are more likely to lose water and turn brown.<\/li>
- Water in the early morning<\/strong> so your lawn has time to absorb moisture before the sun evaporates it.<\/li>
- 2. Adjust Your Watering<\/a><\/li>