5 Ways to Keep Your Lawn Healthy this Summer Lawns during the summer literally - take the heat. Keep your lawn from going dormant and turning brown during the summer by following these 5 steps to keep your lawn healthy and green: Summer lawns take the heat. Follow these 5 steps to keep your lawn healthy and green this summer. JZiga Plahutar / iStock / Getty Images Plus 1. Mow at the right height When tending to your lawn in the summertime, it is important to have your grass cut at a proper height. Taller grass shades soil, reducing water evaporation - leading to deep, strong root systems, which prevents weed seeds from germinating. Short grass does the opposite, drying out grass roots, giving the opportunity for weeds to creep in. Try to time your mowings so that you’re never removing more than ⅓ of the grass at one time. A setting of about 2 ½ inches is optimal. 2. Let clippings lie While you may be tempted to clean up all of your grass clippings this summer, you may not have to. If you’re mowing grass at the proper height, and timing your mowings so that you’re not removing too much of the blade at once, your grass clippings will be beneficial to your lawn. Sometimes called ‘grasscycling’, this will save you time and money - as the fine mulch clippings will act as a natural fertilizer to provide nutrients back to your lawn. 3. Clean up after your pets Pets can leave dead spots in the lawn. Keep waste picked up and properly disposed of to eliminate brown spots. If pet urine spots are leaving your lawn looking drab, try to flush the area with water to dilute the amount of urine in the soil. If possible, the best solution is to create a pebbled or mulched area that your animals can be trained to use during bathroom breaks. 4. Water properly For the healthiest grass, water your lawn infrequently but deeply. Continuous drenching can potentially lead to mold issues in the lawn, while no water at all can lead to brown, dead blades. Occasional drenchings to keep the roots fed is all you need. Preen Lawn Weed Control 5. Tackle tough lawn weeds Weeds are one the biggest detriments to a lawn. They can overtake grass, leaving roots malnourished and at risk of becoming dormant. To provide your lawn with complete protection against weeds, apply Preen Lawn Weed Control. It kills a wide range of lawn weeds, including dandelion, chickweed, knotweed, plantain, henbit, spurge and many others commonly found in home lawns.