Lawn care in a heat wave

Is your lawn overcome by the heat? Some lawns are showing signs of stress and some are turning brown. But resist the urge to simply water more.

First, check what's going on with the lawn. There are fungus problems that can turn your lawn brown -- almost overnight. And if you crank up the water, you'll only make it worse.

Before you increase watering times, do the screwdriver test to make sure the soil really is dry. Push a screwdriver into the soil and if it goes easily into the soil, don't water more now. Let the soil dry out a little and water again. Water-logged soil can damage the lawn more than letting it get too dry.

If you have patches of brown or stressed lawn, again begin with the screwdriver test to make sure soil is dry. If it is, you may have a sprinkler problem that's keeping water from reaching that area. Don't make your whole sprinkler system run longer just for a few brown spots. Run the sprinkler and watch it to see if a sprinkler head is damaged or pointing in the wrong direction.

Practice cycle-and-soak watering. If you usually water an area of lawn about 15 minutes, for example, then don't apply all the water within one 15-minute timeframe. Watering all at once creates run-off and wasted water your plants won't get to use.

Instead, break the watering time into three intervals so that the water runs for about 5 minutes, and then take a break. This break gives the water time to soak into the soil. It is easy to schedule these cycle-and-soak intervals with the timer on your sprinkler system. Check the manual, look for a video online that walks you through the steps, or consult a landscape professional to help you troubleshoot your turf issues and properly schedule your sprinkler.

Finally, mow high and leave the clippings during a heat wave. The clippings help keep the moisture in the lawn, which will help your lawn survive the summer heat.