Hi all,

Zone 7 checking in here (Northern MA., New England).

As you may or may not know, Massachusetts is currently in a drought (4th worst in history, -8.5 inches of water) this year. I don't have irrigation and have depended upon rain for watering only. I'm rarely, if ever, water because I have so much shade Mother Nature has done a good job at helping my lawn stay green and long. (I know - I should be watering deeply and infrequently, but the cost of water is a bit outrageous in my town due to a new water treatment plant!)

The drought is still going strong but I am hopeful things should turn around once September/October come around.

What should my plan of "attack" be to revitalize my lawn? If you see the pictures I've attached, some spots are brown and matted down and I think maybe dead? Other shady spots look OK. So the good thing is my entire lawn isn't dead but definitely isn't healthy.

Do I aerate to help with water intake? De thatch all the brown spots or will those come back? I fertilized with Milorganite at the end of July, maybe another application? I don't think it needs to be re-seeded...or should I put all maintenance (besides fertilizing) until the spring?

Thanks all!