Mulch mowing and watching for brown patches

Mulch mowing

A mulching mower, or the mulching plug on a regular mower, chops clippings finely and drops them back into the lawn. They break down within days, returning nitrogen and organic matter and shading the soil. Over a season that can replace a meaningful share of a feed, and it saves the work of emptying the grass box.

It works best when you mow often enough that you only take off a little each time, and the grass is dry. Wet or long clippings clump and smother the grass; collect those.

Watch for brown patches

Summer is when problems show up. Walk the lawn once a week and look for:

• Rings or irregular patches with a darker or straw-colored edge, sometimes with fine threads in the morning dew: likely fungal disease.
• Patches that lift like a carpet: likely grubs.
• Gray-blue grass where footprints stay: drought; see summer watering.
• Small, round dead spots with a green rim: often dog urine.

Not sure? See investigating a brown patch before treating anything.