As spring fades into the rearview mirror, we look forward to the vibrant days of summer here in Iowa. It’s the perfect time to enjoy your lawn with family and friends — and with a little care and attention, your turf can thrive all season long.
Spring Applications Recap
By now, everyone has received their spring application, which included:
- Pre-emergent treatment to prevent crabgrass and foxtail later this year
- Grub prevention to protect against damaging grub activity in early fall
- Slow-release fertilizer to feed your lawn consistently through summer
Our fertilization approach ensures your cool-season grasses receive a steady supply of nutrients during the warmer months — “spoon feeding” is key as temperatures and humidity rise.
Summer Applications have started
This application will focus on broadleaf weed control and control of summer annual and grassy weeds that will be present at this time. It’s absolutely beneficial to remove these competing weeds so your turf grass has full access to all available water and nutrients during the hot summer months. Nutrients are still available from the spring application, so no fertilizer is needed at this time and will be available throughout the summer.
Seedheads – What You’re Seeing
Cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue naturally begin producing seedheads in late spring. Some grassy weeds, like annual bluegrass, do the same.
This process:
- Is completely normal
- May cause the lawn to look stemmy or thinner temporarily as the plant redirects energy into seed production
- Requires no special treatment — just continue regular mowing and watering
Note: Seedheads won’t help overseed your lawn. Retail grass seed is harvested after maturing (about 4 months). Since mowing prevents natural seed development, relying on seedheads for lawn thickening won’t be effective — especially with spring pre-emergent in place, which prevents germination.
Summer Mowing Tips
Now is a great time to evaluate your mowing practices:
- Check mower blades: If grass blades appear ripped instead of cleanly cut, it’s time to sharpen your blades. Dull blades can stress grass, making it vulnerable to pests and disease.
- Raise your mowing height: Mow at 3.5 inches or higher. Taller grass:
- Improves turf performance in heat
- Shades the soil
- Reduces stress and water loss
Tree Health Check-In
Last fall’s drought impacted not only turfgrass but also trees:
- Some maples are producing heavy seed loads — a stress response
- Other trees are showing faded or pale leaf color, indicating drought stress
- The best option to help recover is to water when rain hasn’t provided the needed moisture
Watering tip:
Water young, struggling or recently planted trees consistently through fall, especially during dry spells. Deep watering is essential for long-term root and canopy health.
Ascochyta Leaf Blight Alert
Did your lawn go from green to “burned” looking overnight? It might be Ascochyta Leaf Blight. Common in Kentucky bluegrass, this fungus causes:
- Bleached or straw-colored patches
- Distinct tracks from mowers, foot traffic, or even pets
- Thin, shrunken leaf blades
This disease often appears after sudden weather changes (wet to dry or vice versa). Good news — this only affects leaf blades, not roots. Recovery usually happens within a couple of weeks as new growth comes in.
No fungicides are necessary — just continue regular care and mowing.
questions, comments, or concerns? don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.
Thank You
With the start of a new month and a new season, we want to thank you for trusting us with your lawn and landscape care. We’re always here to help — whether you need advice, have questions, or just want to chat about turf and plants. It’s what we love to do.
Wishing you a green and healthy summer!
