🌱 Our Summer Lawn Tips

(and Why They Matter More Than You Think)

I grew up in Bridgewater, and one of my clearest summer memories is watching my dad, Steven Brown, ride around on his lawnmower. He took his lawn seriously. He spread his fertilizer on a schedule, kept his blade sharp, and honestly had one of the best lawns on the street. As I got older, I was the one riding around on that mower. And then when I had kids of my own, I remember my children watching their Papa mow from the front bay window like it was the best show on television.

With Father’s Day coming up and June 24th marking two years since we lost him, I have been thinking about him a lot lately. This post is for him.

There is something about a well-kept lawn that just feels like home. And it turns out, buyers feel that too.

If you are like most homeowners in Greater Boston, your lawn is either looking pretty good right now or you are already behind. Either way, there are a few simple things you can do between now and September that will make a real difference, not just for curb appeal this summer, but for how your home shows up if you decide to list.

And if selling is anywhere on your horizon, keep reading, because the lawn is one of those things that buyers notice immediately and is surprisingly easy to get right if you start early enough.

How often should you actually be cutting?

During the summer months, a good rule of thumb is to mow every five to seven days. That sounds obvious, but a lot of people either let it go too long or cut it too short trying to buy themselves time between cuts. Both are mistakes.

Cutting too short (anything under about three inches) stresses the grass, makes it more vulnerable to drought, and opens the door for weeds to move in and fill the gaps. And nothing hurts curb appeal faster than a lawn that is half grass and half weeds. Buyers see it right away. Keep the blade higher in the summer heat and your lawn will stay denser, greener, and a lot less weedy with less effort.

A sharp blade matters too. A dull mower tears the grass rather than cutting it cleanly, which leaves the tips brown and makes the whole lawn look tired even right after you mow. If you have not sharpened your blade this season, it is a small thing that makes a noticeable difference.

Feeding your lawn in the summer

This is where a lot of people stall out because there are a hundred products at the hardware store and it is not always clear what to use or when.

We like Jonathan Green products for this. They are a family-owned company that has been around since 1881 and their products are formulated specifically for cool-season grasses, which is exactly what we have here in New England. Their Summer Survival Fertilizer is designed to help lawns handle heat and drought stress without pushing too much growth. It feeds the roots and helps your lawn hold its color through July and August instead of going brown and thin when the heat really sets in.

If your soil runs acidic, and a lot of New England lawns do, Jonathan Green’s Mag-I-Cal is worth adding to the mix. Here is the thing most people do not realize: if your soil pH is off, the fertilizer you are putting down is not getting absorbed the way it should be. Mag-I-Cal raises the pH so your lawn can actually use what you are feeding it. More green, less waste.

If you have bare patches or thin areas, late August into September is actually the sweet spot for overseeding in our climate. Jonathan Green’s Black Beauty grass seed is a great option and filling in those thin spots before fall means you are going into next spring with a much healthier base.

Why this really matters if you are thinking about listing

Buyers decide how they feel about a home before they ever walk through the front door. A lawn that is green, full, freshly cut and weed-free sends a signal that this home has been taken care of. A lawn that is tall, brown, patchy, or overrun with weeds sends the opposite signal, and it puts buyers on guard before they even get to the front steps.

The good news is that a lawn responds pretty quickly when you treat it right. But you cannot rush it once you are under a listing deadline. Starting now in June gives you enough runway to see real results. The fertilizer needs a few weeks to work, the Mag-I-Cal needs time to shift the soil, and if you overseed in August you want that grass established before photos are scheduled.

Think of it this way: the lawn is the first thing buyers see in every single photo, every showing, and every drive-by. It costs very little to get it right and it absolutely shows up in first impressions. A lush green lawn with no weeds makes the whole property look sharper, the house look bigger, and the price tag feel more justified.

If selling is on your radar for this summer or fall, get the lawn program going now. It is one of the easiest things you can do to make a strong first impression and it pays for itself.

And if you are lucky enough to have a riding mower, maybe let the kids watch from the window. Some things are worth keeping going. Miss you, Dad.

Have questions about getting your home ready to list? We are always happy to walk through it with you. Reach out anytime at (857) 400-9098 to contact one of our top-notch agents.

📸 My son Patrick waiting by the bay window at 110 Bayberry Circle for Papa to come by on the lawnmower! (2010)

~ DMO