Garden to-do list, July 18-24: Maintain lawns, eat squash blossoms

It's been a summer of unsettled weather, with twists and turns worthy of a roller coaster. Keep managing, mowing and making the most of it.

LAWNS

Brown spots are everywhere probably in your yard, too. Don't just increase watering times. Check your sprinkler system's heads. Call in a sprinkler professional for repairs if you're not ready to DIY.

Lack of water or poor reach often means a head that's clogged so it's not spraying correctly. A quick cleaning will fix it. Diminished spray may mean shifting soils may have sunk the sprinkler head, or grass may be too tall. Often, heads get pointed the wrong way or need adjusting up or down so water will spray in the right direction. Bottom line: a 10-minute sprinkler check and fix will save time and dollars in replacing dead sod. More: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/crops/04722.html

Hand water the dry spots for relief until the fixed heads can catch up. Hose draggers with dry spots should make sure that all areas are watered.

Other conditions can cause straw-colored spots, so be sure to identify the problem with help from your local extension office or turf expert.

One common challenge in hot, dry summer months preceded by wet, cool conditions is ascochyta (as-co-kite-a) leaf blight. This fungus gets into the leaf blade after mowing (mowing companies do not carry the fungus from yard to yard). The fungus is on the leaf already, but under the right conditions, it flares up to cause bruising of the leaf blade all the way to the ground, resulting in brown spots. Researchers aren't sure why or how this happens. Don't waste money on control products for aschochyta; they won't work.

Kentucky bluegrass is the most affected by ascochyta, but it can occur on tall fescue and perennial ryegrass. You'll see large, uniform areas of brown, or what seems like dead grass. It's not dead. The roots and crowns are alive. Over time, and with good lawn care, the lawn will recover.

So ... mow as usual with sharp blades to a height of 2 to 3 inches and water a day or two after mowing. Mow in the cool morning or evening; leave the clippings to return nutrients to the soil.

Soak-and-cycle watering is very efficient, giving water time to travel down to the roots. Just add multiple start times to the irrigation controller, but reduce each zone's watering time. Allow up to an hour in between start times so the lawn is watered, then soaks down, then is watered again. More on ascochyta: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/02901.html

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Garden to-do list, July 18-24: Maintain lawns, eat squash blossoms