Over the past year, drought conditions have continued to impact much of New England. While many lawns may still look healthy right now, soil moisture levels in many areas never fully recovered from last season’s dry conditions.
If summer temperatures rise and rainfall remains inconsistent, cool-season lawns across the region could begin experiencing stress quickly. Extended heat combined with limited moisture can weaken turf, leading to thinning, discoloration, and increased vulnerability to issues like insect activity and drought damage.
Reducing drought stress starts with helping your lawn use water as efficiently as possible during hot, dry conditions:
Deep, infrequent watering is typically more effective than frequent shallow watering because it encourages deeper root growth.
Keeping mower blades sharp and avoiding cutting the lawn too short can also help reduce stress by protecting the soil from excess heat and moisture loss.
In some cases, treatments like surfactants can provide additional support (more on this below).
Together, these practices can help cool-season lawns better handle periods of heat, limited rainfall, and inconsistent moisture throughout the summer.
A surfactant is designed to help water move more effectively into the soil and remain available in the root zone longer.
During hot, dry conditions, water doesn’t always soak evenly into the soil. Some can run off, evaporate quickly, or struggle to penetrate dry areas. Surfactants help improve how water spreads through the soil profile so your lawn can make better use of rainfall and irrigation.
That doesn’t mean a surfactant replaces watering—nothing can replace actual moisture from rain or irrigation. Instead, it helps your lawn hold onto the water it does receive more efficiently, especially during periods of heat and drought stress.
At Mainely Grass, our Moisture Manager program is designed to help lawns make better use of the water they receive during hot, dry conditions. Depending on the needs of your property, we may recommend either a granular or liquid application to improve moisture retention in the soil and support the lawn through periods of heat and limited rainfall.
Timing is important with this type of treatment. Moisture Manager works best when applied before drought stress becomes visible, helping prepare the lawn ahead of peak summer conditions. For many cool-season lawns in New England, the toughest stretch of the season typically arrives in July and August, which is why early-to-mid summer is often the ideal window to start thinking proactively about this treatment.