Where are you located? What kind of grass do you have?

I'm located in Northern Utah and I don't know what type of grass I have?

Can you take a close up picture please so we can determine the grass type. Also, first two links don't work.

Hi j4c11, I fixed the images in the OP, hopefully you can view them now.

Also, here are some close ups of my grass:

If you need any more photos, then please don't hesitate to ask! I really appreciate the help! :)

Many of the things you did and the times you did them were perfectly fine...for for a warm season grass. If you had a Bermuda lawn it would look beautiful now. Since you have a cool season grass and live in Utah, most of your work was in vain, unfortunately.

The simple fact that you were in the middle of the Summer trying to recover your cool season lawn is probably the greatest factor for it not looking the way you want. Now is a far better time to get your lawn going. j4c11 and others will get you on track to a good looking lawn.

This is simple heat stress exacerbated by mowing too low and watering wrong. Once you get the mowing height up and the watering fixed, the grass roots will grow deeper giving you a much better looking lawn.

You can use Milorganite any day of the year, or every day of the year. It's an organic fertilizer, so it works much differently from chemical type fertilizers. Those can only be used in cooler weather. You have a few weeks to fix your mowing height. Simply set the mower to the highest setting and mow the grass as it grows up that high. At the same time you can transition to deeper watering. At some point in October or November you will notice that the grass has stopped growing and the mower is not mowing anything. When that happens, wait a week to be sure and then fertilize with a fast release, high nitrogen (low to zero P and K), chemical fertilizer. Water that down and you are finished for the year except for monthly watering to keep the soil happy.

@j4c11:

Here are some (hopefully) better pictures of my grass:

@hawksster:

Thank you for the insight and advice! I hope I can get this fixed before the fall.

@dchall_san_antonio:

I've always cut my lawn short simply because that's what all the neighbors do and their lawns look full and dark green. Since last week though, I've reprogrammed my sprinklers to do:

• 50min per station
• 1 time per week
• Start at 5am. Previously, I was starting around 2am. I was under the impression that we should water before the sun goes up but not at night. But, I'm thinking the sun doesn't get strong enough to evaporate water around here until around 9-10am. I'm also doing the yard in two sections. On one day, I'll water the front. And on another, I'll water the back. This way, I don't have to set the first station too early in the morning in order to get it all watered before 9/10am.

I'll set my mower to its highest setting. Thanks for the advice! :)

@j4c11:

Two more grass pictures. I decided to carefully remove the grass so you can see the whole thing from blade to root without any obstructions.

All those brown shriveled tips made me think there might be a fungal problem, but I can't tell for sure from the pictures, the remaining grass looks relatively healthy. Given your watering practices, it's a possibility. Fungus season is coming to an end with temperatures coming down, so at this point adjust your mowing and watering routines, give it a pound of nitrogen each month through the end of fall and keep an eye on it to see if it starts to recover.

Edit: that's some nice rhizomes on that plant!

Thank you j4c11! I'll follow your advice and post progress updates to help others in the future who might encounter the same problem.

BTW, so do you think my grass is of the Kentucky Bluegrass variety?

It's definitely Kentucky Bluegrass. It looks like it has the potential to be a spectacular lawn once this browning issue gets resolved.

Here's your motivation:

You're going cold turkey on the watering. Watch it very carefully. 50 minutes might not be enough to get a full inch. Here's more on watering. You need to test your sprinklers with cans to get the timing right.

Watering: Deep and infrequent is the mantra for watering. This is for all turf grass all over the place. Deep means 1 inch all at one time. Put some cat food or tuna cans around the yard, and time how long it takes your sprinkler(s) to fill all the cans. Memorize that time. That will be the time you water from now on. My hose, sprinkler and water pressure takes 8 full hours to fill the cans. Your time will likely be less. I like gentle watering. As for watering frequency, that depends on the daytime air temperature. With temps in the 90s, deep water once per week. With temps in the 80s, deep water once every 2 weeks. With temps in the 70s, deep water once every 3 weeks. With temps below 70, deep water once a month. Note that you have to keep up with quickly changing temps in the spring and fall. This deep and infrequent schedule works in Phoenix and in Vermont, so it should work for you. The reason for deep and infrequent is to grow deeper, more drought resistant roots and to allow the soil to dry completely at the surface for several days before watering again. If it rains, reset your calendar to account for the rainfall.

@j4c11: Thank you for confirming!

@dchall_san_antonio: Thank you! This is such GOOD information! I will go cold-turkey tonight on my lawn. I'll water it in the late afternoon so I can do as you suggest and put out spaced apart cups to measure 1" of water.

I'll lay down some nitrogen (for this month) before I water as well.

Thanks for the photo, it really is motivating! I'm excited to try out this new routine.

Thanks again everyone for your contribution! :)

@ B G: I have to say in the few years I've read this forum those are easily the best close up photos of grass! Congrats.

If you start mowing on your highest setting, you may notice the KBG flop over here and there. That is OK and normal. Give it another season or so for the grass to stiffen up a bit and get used to the new setting.

Also, if you really want to cover your bases get a soil test from Logan Labs in Ohio. They are the best lab in the country and only charge $25. Post your results in this forum and people here will analyze it for you.

DANIEL! HEY! I have a good picture or two!! But I know what you're saying. I was thinking that very same thing. Those are excellent even for someone who has had special guidance in photographing grass - really excellent.

Going cold turkey is a risk. Just keep a very close eye on it. The first time the grass looks wilty in the afternoon, check it again in the morning. If it is still wilted, water immediately a full inch. If it is not wilted in the morning, then water the next morning. What you are trying to do is deepen the roots and still keep the surface dry most of the time.

@danielj_2009: Thank you! I was actually worried about being able to get a good pic since my GF is out of town and has the only good camera we own. I just shot it with my galaxy and hoped for the best!

Thanks for the soil test suggestion, I'll definitely look into it.

@dchall_san_antonio: Good advice, thanks man!

@dchall: Well, of course you are the Ansel Adams of lawn photos. Let's just say BG is the Alfred Stieglitz. :)