How to Care for a Lawn That Is Brown in the Summer

Test the soil. County cooperative extension offices offer free or low-cost soil testing, and offer suggestions on how to remedy any soil deficiencies.

Dethatch the lawn if there is a thatch layer measuring over 1 inch. Thatch is the accumulation of dead and living grass stems, clippings and runners. It forms a mat which lies between the soil and the turf. If the thatch layer is thick, it blocks air, nutrients and moisture from the soil. To manually dethatch, use a stiff garden rake to pull the thatch from the turf. A power dethatcher will do the work for you and can be rented from an equipment rental company.

Measure the amount of water the lawn is receiving. Set out four or five standard-sized, empty tuna cans in random areas on the lawn. Run the sprinklers for 30 minutes. Measure the amount of water in each can and then average those amounts. This is the amount of water you are delivering each time you water. Adjust your watering time until you are delivering 1 inch of water a week. If you've decided to allow the lawn to remain dormant over the summer, provide it with 1/2 inch of water every two weeks.

Check the lawn for pests. If you can't identify the pest, deliver it to the county cooperative extension agent who can tell you what it is and advise proper control measures for your region.