How to Keep Your Lawn Healthy in Mid-Summer in Sioux City

Mid-summer in South Dakota brings sunshine, BBQs, and backyard fun — but it also brings heat, humidity, and drought stress that can wear down even the healthiest lawn. If you've started noticing brown patches, wilted blades, or weeds creeping in, you're not alone. The good news? With the right strategies, you can protect your turf and keep it looking lush throughout the entire season. This guide will walk you through exactly how to keep your lawn healthy in summer, especially during the challenging mid-season stretch in places like Sioux City and Sioux Falls.

1. Water Deeply — But Less Frequently

One of the most common mistakes in mid-summer lawn care is shallow, frequent watering. While it might seem helpful, it can encourage weak root growth and leave your grass vulnerable to heat stress. Instead, focus on deep, infrequent watering.

  • Ideal timing: Early morning (between 4 AM and 9 AM) is best to minimize evaporation and reduce disease risk.
  • How much: Aim for about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, including rainfall. You can measure this by placing a tuna can on your lawn while watering — when it's full, you've hit your goal.

Pro Tip: Watering deeply encourages your grass to develop deeper roots, which helps it survive drought periods more effectively.

2. Mow High & Mow Smart

As temperatures climb, your mowing strategy should change, too. A taller lawn shades the soil, conserving moisture and reducing weed growth.

  • Height matters: Raise your mower deck to around 4 inches during summer. This keeps grass blades longer, allowing deeper root development and better moisture retention.
  • Don't remove more than 1/3: Cutting too much at once stresses your lawn, especially during hot spells.
  • Sharpen your blades: Dull mower blades tear grass rather than cut it, making it more prone to disease and browning.

Maintaining a taller cut during summer helps turf stay more remarkable and more resilient through drought periods.

3. Avoid Over-Fertilizing

Fertilizing your lawn during extreme heat can have unintended consequences. Excess nutrients may burn your grass or push unnecessary growth that the plant can't support during stress.

Instead of heavy fertilization, opt for slow-release fertilizers applied during early summer (typically done in our summer fertilization program). These provide steady nutrients without overwhelming the turf. If your lawn is already showing signs of stress, hold off on any DIY fertilizer treatments and contact our team for a professional mid-season assessment.

4. Watch for Summer Lawn Pests & Disease

Mid-summer is prime time for turfgrass pests like grubs, chinch bugs, and sod webworms, as well as fungal diseases like brown patch and dollar spot.

  • Look for signs: Irregular brown patches, chewed roots, or visible insect activity may indicate a problem.
  • Take action early: Identifying issues promptly is crucial. Our lawn care packages include routine inspections to identify and treat problems before they spread.
  • Utilize IPM strategies: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an innovative, eco-friendly approach that combines monitoring, treatment, and prevention. We follow these principles at Sharp to keep your lawn healthy and safe.

External Resource: Learn more about common pests in our region from the University of Nebraska Extension – Turfgrass Compaction.

5. Aerate in Late Summer to Relieve Compaction

By mid-summer, many lawns in Siouxland become compacted from heavy use and dry conditions. This compaction suffocates roots and limits water absorption.

Aeration breaks up compacted soil, improving water, oxygen, and nutrient flow to your turf's roots. While fall is the best time for core aeration, booking it during the later part of summer ensures you beat the seasonal rush and prep your lawn for success in the cooler months.

6. Don't Let Weeds Win the Battle

Stressed lawns are more susceptible to summer weeds, such as spurge, knotweed, and crabgrass. If you didn't apply a pre-emergent in spring, these can now take hold fast.

Post-emergent weed control is your next best step. Sharp Lawn Care uses targeted solutions to eliminate these intruders without damaging your turf. For ongoing protection, our weed control service combines pre- and post-emergent treatments to keep your lawn in the clear all season.

7. Mulch Grass Clippings to Retain Moisture

Instead of bagging clippings, let them stay on your lawn during summer. Grass clippings act as a natural mulch, helping to:

  • Lock in soil moisture
  • Return valuable nutrients to the turf
  • Reduce evaporation and temperature at the soil line

This sustainable practice supports your lawn's health and can even reduce the need for fertilizer.

8. Plan for Overseeding If You Notice Thin or Bare Spots

While summer isn't the time to seed a lawn, it is the right time to spot signs of thinning and plan for fall overseeding. By tracking areas that aren't bouncing back after heat or drought, you'll be ready to fill them in with new grass once cooler weather arrives. Overseeding is most effective when paired with core aeration to improve seed-to-soil contact.

Lawn being mowed high during mid-summer in Sioux Falls, SD

Recap: Mid-Summer Lawn Survival Checklist

  • Water early, deeply, and infrequently
  • Raise your mowing height and keep blades sharp
  • Use slow-release fertilizers and avoid heavy feeding during heat
  • Monitor for pests and diseases regularly
  • Aerate compacted soil toward the end of summer
  • Apply post-emergent weed control to maintain a clean lawn
  • Mulch grass clippings to conserve moisture and nutrients
  • Identify weak spots now and plan for overseeding in early fall

Maintaining a healthy lawn during the peak of summer can be challenging, but with the right approach, it's possible. And you don't have to do it alone.

Need Help Keeping Your Lawn Healthy This Summer? Call Sharp Lawn Care Today!

Sharp Lawn Care has proudly served Sioux Falls, SD and surrounding areas like Tea, Harrisburg, and Sioux City, IA for 20 years. Our expert lawn care programs are designed to address the unique challenges of Midwest weather and are tailored to support your lawn throughout every season, especially the intense heat of mid-summer.

Whether you need mid-season fertilization, weed control, pest treatment, or planning for fall aeration and seeding, we've got you covered. Call (605) 251-6880 if you’re in South Dakota, or (712) 253-8024 if you’re located in Sioux City, IA. Let's make sure your lawn stays healthy, green, and Sharp — all summer long.