How to Restore Green Color to a Lawn in Hot Weather

When hot weather hits, grass needs special care to keep its green coloring. Otherwise, the lawn goes dormant, a harmless act, but one that can make your yard look dull if you were counting on green grass all summer. If you neglect your lawn completely in hot weather, drought can stress the grass and cause it to die. Fortunately, if you notice your lawn losing its coloring during dormancy, it doesn't take much to refresh its green hue.

1 pound nitrogen fertilizer

2 ounces iron sulfate

Water your lawn with 1/2 inch of water about twice a week to keep it green in summer heat. If you notice run-off or puddling, spread out the same amount of water in three applications a week, which means more frequent watering but less water each time you apply it. The amount of water your lawn needs depends on the turfgrass, soil type and the weather. If the grass takes on a bluish cast, it's thirsty and needs a deep watering as soon as possible, before it turns yellow.

Apply approximately 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of grass, sprinkling by hand while wearing gloves or using a drop or rotary spreader for even application. Hungry lawns lose their green coloring, and since nitrogen is responsible for green growth, it's key to your grass retaining its vivid hue.

Recycle grass clippings, either by leaving them on the ground where they fall or sprinkling them across your lawn after you mow. This returns nitrogen and moisture to the soil, both of which green up your lawn.

Mix 2 ounces of iron sulfate in 3 to 5 gallons of water and apply this to every 1,000 square feet of lawn. Iron gives grass a dark green coloring without encouraging rapid growth the way nitrogen does. Apply it only when temperatures are below 80 degrees F and follow up with a thorough watering to prevent the iron from scorching the grass.