Don't neglect your lawn this summer.

Simple lawn care practices done properly -- watering, mowing and fertilizing -- contribute to a healthy, good looking lawn. Here are some tips on keeping your lawn in top shape through the stress of summer and into fall.

Localized dry spots

Don't schedule your lawn watering based on a few localized dry spots here and there in your lawn. It wastes water. Dry spots may be due to some problem beneath the soil. Check out the possible cause of the spots using a trowel or shovel to see what's below.

Sometimes you may find a large rock or boulder. You may also find buried debris left over from your home's construction. I know of one person who found an entire bag of concrete. Be particularly suspicious of buried items if the spot has a distinct shape or size such as a two-by-four.

Digging may also reveal shallow soil above a caleche layer or rock.

Larger dry "spots" may be due to poor sprinkler coverage. If the spots or areas are larger than several feet in diameter, get out some straight-sided cans and place them at regular intervals within and outside the dry spot. Run your sprinklers for one set, then check to see if the amount of water in the cans is about the same or if they vary greatly. This procedure will tell you if your irrigation system is applying water evenly. If not, correct the problem.

Sharp blades and mowing height

When samples of sick lawns are brought to me for diagnosis, I often notice a problem that isn't related to the owner's concern. The tips of the blades of grass are shredded. This means that the mower blade requires sharpening. A dull blade bruises and shreds off the tops of the grass rather than cutting it with a clean slice, giving the lawn a less-than-manicured look. This shredding also injures the grass. More energy is used to overcome this injury and can affect lawn health and density over time. Keep your mower blade sharp.

Many people like a nice lush lawn and prefer to mow the grass at a height of 3 inches. Bluegrass lawns should be mowed at 2 to 2.5 inches. A high mowing height feels good underfoot, but it encourages thatch development and makes a lawn more vulnerable to disease and insect infestation.

In summer it's easy to let the lawn "get away" from you when you take a vacation or a weekend away. Upon your return, your should reduce the height of the grass gradually if you find it has grown past a height of 3 inches. Gradually take the height down with several mowings, not just one. Mowing more than a third of the leaf blade off at one time damages the grass and "scalps" the lawn. A scalped lawn has an overall whitish, then brown appearance. Repeated scalping diminishes overall lawn health, leading to thinning and weed invasion.

Fertilizing

Lawns get hungry in summer, too. In the spring, everyone is anxious to fertilize their lawn, but a summer fertilization is often neglected. A good time to fertilize your lawn in summer is between mid-June and the first of July. I would recommend using a fertilizer that is relatively high in slow-release nitrogen and low in phosphorous. Fertilizers, such as urea formaldehyde, sulfur coated urea, and IBDU release their nitrogen gradually over a three month period. Apply no more than one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet of lawn.

Watering

I've talked many times about the best way to water lawns, so this is just a reminder. Water less frequently, but more deeply. Every day, shallow watering, leads to shallow root systems and encourages thatch. Don't use your timer to determine when your lawn is irrigated. Instead, water when the lawn takes on a blue-green appearance.

* Marianne C. Ophardt is a horticulturist for the Washington State University Extension Office in Benton County.