Use a sharp mower blade to cut the grass instead of tearing it. Keep grass height mowed two to three inches above the soil. You can also leave grass clippings on the lawn to provide a source of nutrients. However, be careful that clippings do not pile up and kill your lawn. Know your soils.
Soils have different abilities to hold water and nutrients available for plants.
Loosen the soil around your plants to improve aeration and water up-take by the roots. For clay soils, add organic matter such as compost, manure or peat moss. Till or spade to help loosen the soil. Clay soils absorb water very slowly, so be careful not to over-water. For sandy soils, add organic matter to improve structure.