When your lawn starts looking a bit brown, watering it a few times should do the trick and leave it looking much greener. But what if this does not work? If you're watering your lawn generously but it is still brown and crunchy, one of these problems is probably to blame.

You're watering at the wrong time of day.

If you're watering in the middle of the day when the sun is out, you're probably doing more harm than good. The water that gathers in the grass is made warm by the sun, and it scorches the grass blades, causing them to turn brown. Watering in the morning when the days are very warm is not the best practice, either, as a lot of the water will evaporate from the ground before the grass has a chance to absorb it. Start watering in the evening as the sun is setting, and your grass is likely to become greener.

You're cutting the grass too short.

Your grass's leaves (the blades) are where it generates its food. If these are not long enough, the grass won't be able to capture enough sunlight to create food for itself, and it will become malnourished and brown. The ideal mowing height varies with grass species, so just because their neighbor cuts their grass to a certain height does not mean that's the right height for your grass. Here are the recommended mowing heights for some common grass types:

• Kentucky Bluegrass: 1 ½-2 ½ inches
• Ryegrass: 1 ½ - 2 ½ inches
• Bermuda grass: ½ - 1 ½ inches
• Tall fescue: 2 – 3 inches
• St. Augustine grass: 2 – 4 inches

The grass needs to be fertilized.

Over time, the grass will deplete the soil of nutrients. Your soil may be deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, or another nutrient, and without this nutrient, the grass is unable to maintain its health. Purchase a general 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 fertilizer, and apply it to your lawn according to package instructions. With any luck, it will be looking a lot greener in no time.

By adjusting your watering habits, leaving your grass a bit longer, and applying fertilizer, you should be able to fix almost any brown, ugly lawn problem. If your lawn is still struggling after following these tips, talk to a landscaping contractor like Sergio's Lawn Service in your area. It's possible that the type of grass in your lawn is simply not suited for the local environment, and in this case, replanting your lawn may be your best bet.