How to Keep Your Lawn Green Through a Utah Summer

July and August in the Salt Lake Valley are hot, dry and bright. Lawns that looked great in May can brown out in a few weeks. The good news: most summer lawn problems come down to a handful of habits.

1. Mow higher

Taller grass shades its own roots and the soil, which holds moisture longer. During the hottest weeks, raise your mower and never cut off more than about a third of the blade at once. Scalping a lawn in July is one of the fastest ways to stress it.

2. Water deeply, not daily

Short daily watering trains roots to stay shallow, where the soil dries out fastest. Instead:

• Water less often, but longer, so water soaks down into the root zone
• Water early in the morning, when it’s cooler and calmer and less is lost to evaporation and wind
• Use cycle-and-soak (two or three shorter runs back to back) on slopes or clay soil so water soaks in instead of running off

Utah’s Division of Water Resources publishes a weekly lawn watering guide that adjusts for the season — it’s worth checking before you set your controller.

3. Fix coverage problems first

Brown spots are often a sprinkler problem, not a lawn problem. A tilted head, a clogged nozzle, or a broken line can leave one area dry while the rest of the yard is overwatered. Walk your zones while they run and look for:

• Heads that don’t pop up or spray onto the sidewalk
• Gaps between spray patterns
• Soggy spots or pooling that point to a leak

4. Feed the lawn on a schedule

Fertilization builds healthy, thick turf that handles heat better. Liquid fertilization through the season keeps color even without a big surge of growth during the hottest weeks.

5. Watch for pests

Grubs and other lawn pests can cause brown patches that look like drought. If a dry spot doesn’t green up after you fix the watering, it’s worth a closer look.

Want it handled for you?

Our weekly lawn care includes mowing and trimming, liquid fertilization, sprinkler repairs, day-porter cleanup and pest control — everything above, done every week.