When it comes to maintaining summer lawns, the less you do the better, says a turfgrass specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences.
Grasses usually go into a semi-dormant state and are vulnerable to disturbance.
The tough season for grass in the Northeast is mid-June to the end of August, Landschoot explains. But lawns generally recover when cool temperatures and moisture return in September. It may not look great, but it usually will green up again. Landschoot suggests some general lawn practices for summer. Also, you don't need to mow as often because the grass isn't growing as fast.