If you’ve got a lawn, you’re well aware of the eternal struggle to keep it looking like an idyllic pasture rather than a ragged, balding wasteland of neglected dreams. Your first instinct is to go crazy with watering and high-cost fertilizers, but those methods don’t always keep lawns looking pristine.

A wiseGEEK article suggests relatively low-cost ways to keep your grass alive:

* Don’t over-water. Thorough but infrequent watering tends to be more efficient. Aim for an inch of water every week during warm months, scaling back as it gets colder.

* Start with deeper soil. Plant your lawns on top of six to eight inches of rich soil to ensure the roots will be able to grow deep and strong. Cut a corner here, going with only a couple inches of soil, and you’re setting yourself up for failure.

* Don’t mow too low. It’s compelling to shoot for a putting green-like carpet, but setting your mower to cut the grass too low during summer months can stunt your lawn’s growth, leaving you with something that more closely resembles a sand trap.

Why is my lawn dying? [wiseGEEK]

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