Keeping your summer lawn green

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Story Published: Jul 11, 2007 at 10:25 PM PDT

By Sophie Soong

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EUGENE - In these dog days of summer the hot sun can quickly damage your lawn.

But with a bit of tender love and care, you can bring those blades back to life.

Tip number one: don't misapply fertilizer. "I would not use a weed and feed because most weed and fees have 2-4-Ds or some chemicals that if you put it down, when it's too hot, it can actually damage the lawn," plant specialist Mary Claska at Jerry's Home Improvement said. Opt for a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen content and follow the directions carefully.

Tip number two: don't over water your lawn. Water until the moisture gets about six inches into the soil and split up the watering to several times a week.

Tip number three: mow a bit higher. A good summer mowing height is 2 to 2.5 inches. "If you're mowing it and you're cutting it off--all the green--you're doing damage to how the grass grows," Claska said.

Experts say, watering in the evening can actually create a breeding ground for insects and disease--which leads to tip number four: water during the morning.

Armed with these simple tips, get ready to enjoy some good barefoot time in your lush green lawn.

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