Tall Fescue Lawn Care Tips for Summer in McPherson, KS

Tall fescue is a favorite grass for McPherson, Kansas homeowners because of its resilience and lush appearance. But during our hot Kansas summers, even tall fescue needs a little extra care to stay green and healthy. In this post, we’ll share practical summer maintenance tips to keep your lawn looking great—even in the heat.

Mow Tall—3.5” to 4” Is Ideal

During summer, raise your mower blade. Tall grass helps shade the soil, holds in moisture, and blocks weed growth. For best results, avoid cutting more than one-third of the blade at a time.

Pro Tip: Sharpen your mower blades regularly—dull blades tear grass, leading to stress and disease.

Water Deep, Not Often

Tall fescue needs about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, including rainfall. Watering deeply 2–3 times per week encourages deeper roots and better drought tolerance. Water in the early morning for best results.

Quick Trick: Place an empty tuna can in your yard. If it fills up in 30 minutes, your sprinkler delivered about 0.5 inches of water.

Go Easy on Fertilizer

Avoid fertilizing heavily in July or August. Tall fescue naturally slows its growth in heat, and too much nitrogen can actually cause stress and disease. If needed, apply a slow-release, low-nitrogen fertilizer in early June.

Spot-Treat Weeds

Summer isn’t the time for heavy herbicide use. Instead, spot-treat problem areas in the early morning to avoid harming the surrounding grass.

Mulch Those Clippings

Don’t bag your clippings—let them fall and feed the soil. Grass clippings return nutrients and keep moisture in the lawn. Just make sure they don’t clump.

Need Lawn Care Help in McPherson?

At Turkey Creek Lawn Care, we specialize in keeping tall fescue lawns thriving through Kansas summers. Whether you need a weekly mow, a watering schedule, or help getting your lawn ready for fall, we’re here to help.

Call or text us at (620) 960-6082 or request a free quote today.

New client? Ask about our 20% off first mow special!