A lush, green lawn is every North Carolina homeowner’s dream, but late summer can be tricky. Small missteps now can lead to big problems, from patchy grass to stubborn weeds.
Knowing what to avoid makes yard care much less stressful. Let’s check out the ten mistakes that could be holding your lawn back.
1. Scalping Your Grass
Cutting grass too short during late summer heat stresses your lawn tremendously. North Carolina’s intense August sun can quickly burn exposed roots when you mow below 3 inches.
Many homeowners mistakenly think shorter cuts mean less frequent mowing, but this actually weakens your turf’s drought resistance and invites weeds to take hold.
2. Watering at Midday
Sprinklers running during the hottest part of the day waste precious water to evaporation. In North Carolina’s late summer heat, up to 40% of water can vanish before reaching your grass roots.
Early morning watering (5-9am) allows moisture to penetrate deeply while reducing fungal disease risk that evening watering might encourage.
3. Neglecting Soil Testing
Blindly applying fertilizer without knowing what your soil actually needs is like prescribing medicine without a diagnosis. Late summer is perfect timing for North Carolina homeowners to test before fall treatments.
Your county extension office provides affordable soil testing that reveals exactly what nutrients your specific lawn requires, preventing wasteful over-application.
4. Overusing Fertilizer
Dumping excessive fertilizer in hopes of greening up your lawn quickly can backfire dramatically. The harsh Carolina summer heat combined with high-nitrogen products often burns grass instead of helping it.
Fertilizer runoff also contributes to water pollution across our beautiful state’s waterways, with summer storms washing chemicals into streams and rivers.
5. Ignoring Dormant Weeds
Those innocent-looking seedheads popping up in your North Carolina lawn aren’t just unsightly—they’re tomorrow’s weed invasion. Late summer is when many weeds set seeds for next year’s generation.
Removing weeds before they spread thousands of seeds saves you countless hours of future work, especially with aggressive varieties that thrive in our Carolina climate.
6. Forgetting Aeration
Summer foot traffic and heat have likely compacted your soil, making it difficult for water and nutrients to reach grass roots. Many North Carolina lawns develop hard, clay-like surfaces by August.
Planning core aeration for early fall gives your lawn time to recover and strengthen before winter, especially important for the heavy clay soils common throughout our state.
7. Improper Irrigation Coverage
Brown patches appearing despite regular watering often indicate sprinkler system blind spots. The uneven rainfall patterns across North Carolina make proper irrigation coverage especially crucial during late summer.
Perform a quick sprinkler audit using tuna cans spread across your lawn to measure water distribution, revealing dry zones that might be contributing to those frustrating dead spots.
8. Skipping Pre-Emergent Treatment
Late summer is the critical window for preventing fall weeds before they sprout. Throughout North Carolina, annual bluegrass and winter weeds begin their lifecycle as temperatures start moderating.
Applying pre-emergent herbicide in late August creates an invisible barrier that stops these weeds from establishing, saving you from battling established weeds during our mild Carolina winters.
9. Overlooking Insect Damage
Those mysterious brown patches might not be drought stress but rather hungry insects feasting below the surface. North Carolina’s warm, humid climate creates perfect conditions for chinch bugs and grubs by late summer.
Check for insects by pulling gently on damaged grass—if it lifts easily without roots, you’re likely dealing with grubs that need immediate treatment before they destroy more of your lawn.
10. Delaying Repair Until Fall
Waiting until October to address thin or bare spots means missing the ideal late-summer seeding window. North Carolina’s warm soil temperatures in August-September provide perfect germination conditions for cool-season grasses.
Overseeding now gives new grass time to establish before winter, while still warm enough for strong root development but not so hot that seedlings wither in our Carolina heat.