Greener Grass

Lawns, such as Bermuda, St. Augustine grass and dichondra respond quickly to a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Apply it, and then water to get it off the leaves (which it might burn) and into the ground. You may notice crabgrass or pigweed; your nursery carries products that can help control these and other summer weeds, even when the seed has germinated. Be sure to specify whether you have a grass or dichondra lawn. Plant summer vegetables: tomatoes, corn, peppers (all kinds), eggplant, squash, cucumber and melon. If you prefer to use seed, try beets, carrots, turnips, radishes, snap beans, summer squash and cucumbers. The daring can try loose-leaf lettuce in semi-shade. Water everything from lawns to trees deeply; don’t sprinkle, because a great deal of the water is lost in evaporation. There are many ways to get the water down deep, where it does the most good. You can get prongs that, attached to a hose, can be pushed into the ground. Soaker hoses can be laid about. And there are many types of drip irrigation. Ask at your nursery or hardware store.