Posts Tagged ‘irrigation’

July is rough on your lawn so here is what you can do to help

Published by mrgrass on June 23rd, 2012 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies

 

A dry lawn can mean improper mowing or lack of irrigation

Correct mowing is the absolute most critical factor when it comes to high summer temperatures and not adding stress already present due to heat and reduced rainfall.  One low cut below 2” can nearly instantly brown-out a lawn within hours.  The lower the cut, the more damage is done as the cut lets lose massive amounts of moisture in the hot sun causing the soil to heat up and weeds to germinate.  Nothing will set off an awful course of bad events more than a short mowing cut in July.  A dull mower blade adds to the dilemma by shredding the ends, predisposing the grass to disease and causing a displeasing tan or white tint.  Proper mowing means an am or pm cut, a sharp blade, and at least a 3” cutting height; anything less spells trouble for your lawn for weeks, if not months.

Although watering is nice, it is not the end all to saving a lawn in the month of July.  Dry lawns should not be mown unless necessary and not in the mid day.  A lawn in mild to severe stress will show mower tracks days after a cut.  Since the grass blade is mostly water, it may come as no surprise that without rainfall the lawn will lose its green color and not even have the ability to grow all that much.  Driving a tractor over a lawn in drought stress is like shoveling your driveway with a head cold in shorts in the winter, a less-than lovely combination.

Fertilizing in the summer should be to control damaging insects and be blended with slow release fertilizers, or nothing at all should be applied.  Since lawns do require at least an inch of rain per week to stay actively growing, anything less means growth will slow and the color will fade.  A normal dry period might last a few weeks to even a month in July or August.  If three weeks have gone by without rainfall, then a light watering can help keep your lawn alive, if only dormant.  Once the moisture runs out, grass will shut down and go to sleep like a bear hibernating.  This is a protection mechanism and helps most turf withstand a typical summer.  The extent of long term damage can be measured in early fall with normal rain and cooler temperatures.  How well your lawn faired will be dependent upon the initial health going into the summer, your mowing habits/height, and supplemental irrigation if you have the ability to do so.

Any irrigation is preferable in the early morning throughout the day.  Late afternoon to evening watering is not desirable because disease issues can quickly develop causing damage ranging from small to large patches.  Watering times vary from the thatch thickness, sun to shade ratio, slope, and turf varieties present.  One can imagine that a sunny lawn with a thick thatch layer would require significantly more water than a thin, shaded lawn out back next to the woods.  When in doubt, any water is better than none, but is not necessarily required in the big picture.

We created a mowing height gauge that’s a magnet so you can easily stick in on your mower, gas can or work area. No more excuses for mowing too short!  If you want a free mowing magnet, just send me an e-mail at turf@chippersinc.com and I would be pleased to send you one as a way of saying thanks for reading this blog! 

 

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Ten Reasons to improve your lawn in NH or VT

Published by mrgrass2 on January 25th, 2011 - in Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

 

The Environment #10 and #9

#10  A healthy lawn reduces water runoff and soil erosion which in turns protects our lakes and streams from sediment moving from the land into the water.  Turf is a living filter which protects ground water quality through a vast network of roots, thatch, and leaves.  There are many lawn products that can be used close to or up to the water without harming that ecosystem such as lime, kelp, and further back slow release products.

#9  A healthy lawn will absorb 6 times as much rainfall as a common hay-field.  A healthy lawn entraps pollutants and with the help of soil microbes, biodegrades them safely.  Coating grass seed with mycorrhizae improves turf defensive capabilities against insects and disease issues often reducing the need for fertilizer in a calendar year.  Compost tea is a perfect example of how to improve the soil and help your lawn simultaneously.

 

Functional Benefits #8 thru #4

#8  A healthy lawn dissipates heat and reduces the energy required to cool homes and buildings- thus saving energy.

#7  Turf grass abates noise and reduces glare.

#6  A mown lawn decreases disease carrying ticks and reduces fire hazards near wooded areas.

#5  Well maintained turf grass reduces injury from sports played at home, school, or elsewhere.

#4  A well cared for lawn is actually a low-cost asset that can be physically used or enjoyed for pure viewing pleasure.

Health  #3 thru #1

#3  Studies show the cycle of growing grass and the color green lift human spirits and provide both thoughts and feelings of happiness, privacy, and serenity.

#2  Well maintained turf is known to have therapeutic effects on humans as measured by heart rate and blood pressure- increasing recovery rate of hospital patients.

#1  Hiring a licensed, experienced turf professional will help you accomplish some if not all of the benefits above while insuring the job is done correctly.  Free up valuable time and spend it with your family or friends!

As you can gather, grass is simply more than just a lawn!  Winter is the perfect time to explore the advantages of utilizing the skills of your local turf care provider.  Perhaps this is the year to explore natural or organic products?  Stop guessing and wondering if you are putting down too much or too little material while wasting your valuable Saturday or Sunday.  Send that e-mail or make that phone call today and get your lawn on the right path in 2011.

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Review your lawn contract before renewing

Published by mrgrass2 on October 19th, 2010 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Broadleaf Weeds, Crabgrass, Cultural Practices, Fertilizer, Ice Melt, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects, Lime, Misc., Seeding & Overseeding, Turf Disease

If it seems to good to be true- you may be right

Did your doctor ever tell you to get a second opinion?  Hundreds of commercial lawn care contracts will be mailed out shortly to residential homes in remote parts of NH and VT.  Even more lawn contracts will be mailed out to commercial customers in the hopes that those in the appropriate position will sign, mail, or simply fax it back with no questions asked.  I propose that each contract deserves not only a second opinion, but a thorough examination line by line item.  The national and larger regional lawn care companies typically roll your program over from year to year.

Most lawns are not being examined to determine true needs but rather recycled in archives from prior years like a CD player on repeat.  While this automated process may approach adequate at best, I sincerely doubt you are receiving a turf care program worthy of your hard-earned dollars.  Furthermore, I doubt most existing clients even understand what they are receiving and why versus what is available in their market area.  Let me expand on this theme.

Many remote lawn accounts are labeled and classified as ”commercial”, with most customers unaware of this practice.  These kinds of accounts are processed at a high volume utilizing heavy machines called Turf-Trackers or even tractors.  These machines do a decent job on large properties or fields but are anything but light and are not ideally suited to home lawns or smaller settings.  An inexperienced operator can easily cause damage while running the machine over frost covered lawns, shaded locations, and especially slopes.  Turf can be easily torn, compacted, and ripped up without careful attention from the driver.  These machines make it easy to operate at an aggressive speed as they work to achieve the goals set for them by the larger corporate office.  If these facts don’t cause you to raise an eyebrow, please read on.

Unfortunately, many of these “commercial” contracts are recycled revenue without any fresh investigation data to support the renewal.  In fact, I would wager that most if not the majority of these accounts are seldom looked at beyond the production dollars they represent each year.  Simply put, the large national chains are usually too far away and their attempts to service remote regions often severely stress their limited staff and outsourced customer service centers.  Most national lawn care companies utilize lawn programs like McDonald’s “Happy meals” except without the toy because you get a few fertilizer visits, grub control, and a lime treatment.  Who would question that?

Does your phone call get forwarded to a call center or does a real person answer your call?  Are you able to reach your lawn care office or do you even know where it is?  Are you supporting your local economy or something much larger?

How can these large lawn care services claim and advertise to be local when they drive nearly 2 hrs to service lawns in remote areas of NH beyond their primary service market?  Is that local service?  Again, any company that pre-mixes fertilizer in a liquid medium and then applies it to every lawn in a single day is doing their clients a basic injustice as outlined in my blog post (http://mrgrassblog.net/2010/04/22/price-and-the-…awn-treatments/ ‎).  Mixing concentrated fertilizer into a liquid is an easy and inexpensive way to administer a lawn program.  As I said before, yes it works well for some lawns but not all lawns.  You get exactly what you pay for with this type of treatment, a quick buzz of green.  There are lots of natural and organic alternatives to this kind of turf care.

Before you sign on the dotted line, before you pre-pay for your entire year upfront- get a second opinion from a local lawn care company.  I welcome the questions and the challenge to take your property to the next level.  If you are not in our service area, I have companies I can recommend to you- just leave a comment to this post.  Even if you decide not to make a change, doesn’t it just make sense to get another opinion like a car or house repair?  Don’t just sign without thinking about what things could be like in 2011.  I know it’s easy to just send the lawn contract back, but a free second opinion from any other turf health care company is time well spent.  Make this winter the time where you decide to explore what has been going down on your lawn in the past and why!  Support your local economy and research who services your town for lawn treatments.  Exploring new options can be educational, fun, and you might even receive better results!

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Brown lawn? Look to aerate this fall.

Published by mrgrass2 on September 8th, 2010 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Misc., Seeding & Overseeding

Core aeration is a mechanical process that extracts cores of soil, thatch and grass from the surface of the lawn.  This increases nutrient availability, water penetration, soil air exchange, and reduces compaction.  All of these benefits lead to a healthier lawn.

Aeration can be done any time of the year, but typically it is done in the spring and or fall when soil moisture is greatest to insure good plugs.  In addition, any lawn can be over seeded after aeration in order to add hybrid grasses to help thicken up an existing lawn or thin areas.  Aeration is a great process and should be done annually to help maintain good soil health while minimizing compaction.

Core aeration should not be confused with dethatching or power rakes, a different machine which tears and rips turf- often causing more damage than good.  Aeration is a professional means to manage a turf area that is often under care such as fertilizer and lime treatments.

What are the benefits of Aeration?

-      Increased moisture penetration since the holes open up space for rain to reach the root system below.  The surface of the soil is hardened from high heat and summer drought.  A lack of rain makes the surface of the lawn much harder to loosen up due to the baking action of summer heat. 

-      Increased oxygen exchange (important for healthy roots) especially in compacted and dry soils.  Punching holes in the lawn will physically allow air to reach into the surrounding root systems, even as the hole begins to break down and fill back in with soil next spring.

-      Reduces soil compaction (especially soils high in clay) caused by those summer parties or high use.  Compacted soil does not promote healthy roots in grass or trees for that matter.

-      Increases penetration of fertilizers and other lawn products due to the holes being made.  The pellets or flakes simply roll into the plug and dissolve for faster results.

-      Increases rate of thatch decomposition due to micro-organisms being brought up to the surface in the plug itself.  There is no need to rake aeration plugs off a home lawn as they breakdown on their own in a short period of time.

-      Increases root development due to the vacant space created by the aerator tine.  The turf roots can expand outward and beyond in search of water, air, and nutrients in the soil.

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Think Aeration & Overseeding this fall

Published by mrgrass2 on August 4th, 2010 - in Aeration or Core Aeration, Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Misc., Seeding & Overseeding

 

 

Why aerate in the fall and why overseed?

Aeration can be done almost anytime with the spring and the fall being the best time periods.  The main reason fall takes an edge over spring is due to a few important facts.  First, the soil is already warm from the summer so seed will germinate much faster compared to the spring.  Second, annual weeds like crabgrass or spurge have completed their life cycles and are on the way out (dying) instead of growing larger.  The reduced competition is most helpful to young turf plants which don’t have to compete for air, light, moisture, and nutrients in the fall.  Most lawns will benefit from additional seeding, whether in existing established turf or thinner lawn areas.  Overseeding is not designed to create a lawn in bare areas but add to existing lawn regardless of the condition (great to thin).  The primary reason to overseed your lawn after aeration would be to introduce a superior grade grass into the lawn.  A perfect overseeding example would be where the kids play or an area that dries out frequently.  Adding a drought tolerant turf such as tall fescue is a wonderful tactic to add new grass and upgrade the lawn area while not undertaking a costly renovation.  In most situations, working with the existing lawn is a faster and more economical position than starting from scratch.  Since turf usually takes a hit in summer heat, being proactive for the next year is critical since the window of opportunity only comes twice a year! 

What is thatch?

Thatch is defined as living and non-living “stuff” lying between the upper turf blades and the soil.  A thatch layer between 0-1/2” is considered healthy but one approaching 1” or greater resists water absorption like a dry sponge.  Excessive thatch also encourages many types of insects and disease issues.  Aeration is also useful for reducing compaction in clay or heavily used lawn areas.  Aeration may seem simple enough, but it is a very labor intensive process- especially when using our heavy, commercial grade machines.  While you may be able to rent a small aerator, a large benefit derived from a larger unit provides deeper hole, especially in compacted soil.  If you do decide to rent an aerator- be sure the tine tips are not worn down.  Aeration is especially beneficial when followed by over seeding to thicken and add improved grass varieties. 

Commercial grade aerators physically remove plugs from your lawn which improves water, moisture, and nutrient absorption into the soil while enhancing root growth and thatch decomposition.  Dethatching machines slice the lawn creating large volumes of plant debris and can often cause extensive damage if not used properly.  Aeration is recommended on all lawns on a yearly basis while dethatching is only left to the most mature, thick lawns with a thatch near 1” as a renovating process.

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Crabgrass in your lawn

Published by mrgrass2 on July 21st, 2010 - in Crabgrass, Lawn Care Companies, Misc.

There are many factors which yield a high crabgrass population in any given lawn area.  Last season, we had one of the wettest seasons in nearly a decade while this year we are in one of the hottest in nearly a decade.  The two extremes are just that- extreme and there are ramifications to a lawn.  To understand what happens in a lawn setting we must look at the weather, turf density, mowing height, and treatments.  Hot and especially dry weather will cause dormant crabgrass seed to germinate- typically in bare areas first (along roads, walkways, driveways) followed by thin sections in the lawn.  Crabgrass loves high heat and low moisture.  Seeds can remain dormant for years until the right conditions arrive, and then they germinate.  Normal rain, proper fertilization, and cutting height can usually minimize crabgrass in primary lawn areas.  Grass that has been treated with high soluble fertilizers and is not as healthy will be more susceptible to crabgrass infiltration.  The best defense is still a thick lawn, a high cut, irrigation if possible, and slow release fertilizer among other applications.  Some years are above or below average in terms of rainfall and heat- key factors in crabgrass germination.

Crabgrass plant

One year of crabgrass does not undo a lawn.  A pre-emergent barrier can be applied in the spring, but even that will degrade by late July or early August.  Luckily, crabgrass knows when the remaining growing season is insufficient to complete its life cycle.  Said another way, crabgrass seeds will usually not germinate past mid July.  So what you see now is going to be it- the plants will just become larger.  Again, a pre-emergent barrier can be used to help suppress, not eliminate crabgrass in thin or weak areas.  Most of these products are simply dyes and are not harmful in terms of the environment.  A pre-emergent product can be applied this fall (often overlooked) or next spring if you belive crabgrass has gotten a firm foothold in your lawn.  There is a trade off between putting down a barrier and seeding- so give this treatment careful consideration.  When desirable turf becomes stressed by high heat and drought, it provides an ideal growing environment for crabgrass by heating up the soil.  Lack of moisture further stresses desirable turf and enhances the ability of crabgrass to grow at exponential rates- real fast.

Mowing at 3”, mulching clippings, watering (1” per week), and a solid lawn health care program are all great defensive measures.  Adding a pre-emergent in the spring is another tool to help inhibit crabgrass but not eliminate it.  In a normal year, things would be in check and balance like in nature.  However, in extreme heat and drought- nature will win the battle and aesthetics will suffer- regardless of the plans in place.

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High Heat and Brown Grass

Published by mrgrass2 on July 9th, 2010 - in Cultural Practices, Fertilizer, Lawn Care Companies, Lawn Pests, Bugs & Insects

High heat and a lack off rainfall is double trouble when it comes to your cool season lawn- whether in NH or VT.  Brown grass results within days if not weeks after prolonged heat and an absence of rainfall.  What is a homeowner to do?

At this time of year, most action would be preventative such as proper cutting height (3”), lime, slow release fertilizer, mulched clippings to enhance organic matter, not mowing during the heat of the day, and having over seeded with a drought tolerant turf.  In terms of no rainfall, unless you have an irrigation system setup properly or a very shaded lot- browning is as inevitable as bacon in skillet on Sunday morning.  Hmm, you can just hear the sizzle and smell the lawn drying out to a golden brown!

On a serious note, its not the browning of your lawn that is a huge thing, but what might eat it while brown.  You would never know of an attack because green turning to brown might get your attention while outside.  What about brown staying brown?  Nothing can indicate a problem- no color change.  Now is the time to monitor for chinch bug, grub, or sod webworm activity either yourself or by hiring a professional licensed lawn care company. 

In terms of watering, anything is helpful- but don’t expect that magical green you would see in the spring or fall.  Providing an inch or more of water may not even be allowed if there is a ban like many towns are now experiencing here in NH.  Since most grass needs about an inch per week, anything else helps to keep the dormant turf alive as it remains in a hibernation state.  High heat will brown out and cause all kinds of blotches and spots in a treated or non-treated lawn setting- it is plain just too hot for cool season grass when the mercury rises above 85 to 90.  High heat can cause white blotches on the leaf blade to creating drought stress as dull blue or purple sections.  Further stress results in a tan or light brown lawn as the plant shuts down to preserve itself.  Remember, grass blades are 99% water, so no water- no grass to grow!

 Now is not the time to apply liquid fertilizer or herbicides- the result can be a disaster resulting in what I call “corner to corner grey or brown turf”.  A trained eye can spot this kind of chemical induced stress.  High soluble fertilizers place undue stress on a lawn already on the edge.  Mowing during the heat of the day is like lying on your driveway at noon- hot and unpleasant.  Any remaining moisture is quickly lost through the fresh cuts as the lawn literally wilts in hours- sometimes causing massive browning.  Stressed turf is highly susceptible to mower tracks from the weight of a tractor.  This is also true of lawn care companies that use perma-greens and other powered equipment to apply fertilizer, lime, or herbicides- the pure weight causes tire tracks and the resulting brown lines!  A light touch using smaller spreaders helps to minimize this issue.

In short, high summer heat is not customary in NH or VT, but when it does occur- be sure to watch out for insect damage, water if you can- what you can, don’t mow if you don’t have to- especially during 11am to 3pm, and cut high 3” to 3.5”.  Don’t feel obligated to mow when not mowing is really the best course of action.

Take a vacation and have some fun- but make sure you take care of your investment!

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A word on irrigation & watering your lawn

Published by mrgrass2 on June 5th, 2010 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies, Turf Disease

Watering your lawn

There are a few things you can do to help your existing lawn before you have to add water.  The first cultural practice worth noting is mowing to a height of 3-3.5″, especially in full sun.  Mow only if you need to and do so in the am or late pm, try to avoid 12pm to 3pm when the sun is the highest and the grass is the most stressed.  Mowing during this time frame, especially in high heat (85 or above)- combined with dry conditions or turf that is already stressed will most likely cause more browning and or leave mower tracks.  Imagine the stress placed on a lawn that is already just holding on with dry, sandy soil.  Imagine then the additional moisture loss out of each leaf blade as you mow, the result can be quick and dramatic, browning within hours or days at best.  Once your lawn has shut off, either in patches or entire areas- it will take days if not weeks of solid irrigation to “restart” the growing process.  As I have said before, browning is a survival mechanism when your turf shuts off from growing due to a lack of moisture in the soil.  If there is not enough moisture, turf growth will slow down and finally stop.  During this process, your lawn will turn a dull, purple blue- to possibly white spots on the leaf blade- and finally to a tan or complete brown. 

Providing irrigation at the earlier stages will produce faster results than the later brown, the time frame can be from a few hours or overnight with light stress (hazy or dull green/blue) to weeks with all on dormancy and browning.  So what is a good rule of thumb when it comes to irrigation?  That is a complicated question so I will stick with the average home- without an irrigation system.  If you want a green lawn during the summer- you will have to irrigate at some point or prepare to see browning to varying degrees as rainfall comes and goes.  There are a few types of irrigation goals, one is to keep the lawn aesthetically pleasing and green.  The second would be to keep your lawn alive during an extending dry period- such as 3 to 4 weeks with an inch or less total.  Most lawns will require 1″ of rain per week to grow properly without experiencing drought.  Remember, grass blades are mostly water so to expect your lawn to grow and or stay a vibrant green in high heat and or lack of rain is simply not realistic.  Preparing your grass with slow release fertilizers, high calcium lime, sea kelp, and aeration are powerful tools which keeps your grass healthy.  Healthy turf will respond faster to irrigation, recover better, and withstand dry conditions- especially if mown correctly (3-3.5″). 

Watering your lawn for aesthetics is best if you can proactively watch for dull patches- if you do see one, hit it with water for 1/2hr to 1hr for a day or two.  You should see recovery fairly quickly if your turf is in good shape.  Most lawns have “hot spots” or zones which tend to dry out faster than the majority of your lawn.  If you know where these areas are, you can simply watch them and be prepared to water them more often than the rest of the lawn.  In some cases, those may be the only sections you water, so have your hose and sprinkler ready.  Don’t waste your water, don’t irrigate for hours upon hours, after an hour or so- you have provided enough and soaked the upper root zone. 

A general rule on watering- some water is better than none.  As a rule, watering in the early am to late am is the best time.  Watering at high noon or the afternoon will not burn your lawn, but a lot of water will evaporate- a waste of resources for sure.  If you cannot water until the afternoon to early evening- you are likely to set up your lawn to summer diseases like brown patch or red thread.  As a rule, keeping your lawn dry going into the night is your best option.  Again, diseases like brown patch are enhanced by high heat, humidity levels, and excessive soluble nitrogen (liquid fertilizer).  A light touch is often required in late to mid July to August if the heat and humidity arrives. 

Irrigation is usually required if you want green grass in the summer

Survival irrigation are for those of you who have sections of lawn that “suddenly” turned brown.  You wake up one saturday morning and go outside to get your newspaper- you glance up and parts of your lawn are brown!  When did that happen?  Well, likely it has been going down hill for a week or more and you just noticed the color change.  This is certainly not magic!  What can you do?  Why bother?  Well, if your grass is toast, a nice light brown like I enjoy my coffee- any water will help- believe me.  At this stage, your grass is close to dormant or dormant.  Don’t mow it and add more stress.  Any water will help keep the crown- the heart and soul of your lawn alive.  While most growing lawns need 1″ per week of rainfall, even if you water once for an hour or so, each week- you can keep your grass in a dormant state but alive.  What you don’t want to do is water vigorously for one week each day and then just let it ride for the rest of the month.  This kind of irrigation is survival irrigation, minimizing death and future dead patches.  Speaking of dead patches- this is a dangerous time for your lawn because you will never see damage inflicted by chinch bugs, cutworms, sod webworms, or grubs.  September rolls around and you chalk up dead areas to lack of water when in fact you had and still may have insect activity. 

Irrigation does not have to make you a slave to your lawn if you know what you want to accomplish and how your lawn reacts to heat and dry weather.  Break out those hoses and check your sprinklers today!

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Drought stress, high heat, and sun scald on your lawn!

Published by mrgrass2 on May 26th, 2010 - in Cultural Practices, Lawn Care Companies

High heat sun scald on cool season turf

High heat can lead to all kinds of issues in and on your lawn including browning, drought stress, and sun scald.  To break down the process of high heat and or a lack of rain on your lawn, think of how you would feel leaving in the middle of the winter and arriving in a hot climate like Mexico.

Dormancy, drought stress, and mowing damage

The first stage begins as sun scald if the turf has been growing fast and you get some hot, sunny days.  The turf turns white and you may see blotches or patches in your lawn appear virtually overnight.  Cool season grass is exactly that, it prefers cooler weather- not the high 80’s or 90’s- such weather places a huge demand for moisture on a shallow root system.

 At first, there may be plenty of water in your soil, but after a few days to a week, that supply dries up and now the grass starts to suffer- it turns a dull- hazy purple with a blue tint.  This is the first symptom- drought stress- the grass is starting to dry up and is unable to meet the moisture demand of the leaf blade growing.  So now what happens?  The base of the plant is the command center, it is called the crown.  It cannot push out any new growth and now must shut down on emergency power to save itself.

  The second stage is browning- the grass visually turns brown as the once green leaf blades dry up and the crown starts to shut down to conserve what is left and survive.  The good news is, the sooner you water- the sooner your grass will reactivate and start growing again.  Typically, if you get water to your lawn in the initial drought stress mode, you can prevent or minimize subsequent browning and get things rolling again- keeping the grass green without tints of brown or drought stress.

However, if you allow the lawn to shut down and brown out, it can take weeks to a month to regain the green color and previous growth.  Simply put, once she goes brown- better turn around and keep the water running.  Therefore, targeting drought stress is your best option to prevent dormancy and a brown lawn during summer.

 The good news is most lawns just have what is known as “hot spots”- sections with thin topsoil, ledge, septic covers, or sandy conditions.  If you target these “hot spots” first, more often than not you can avoid watering your entire lawn in some situations.  Just look for the drought stress and water those areas instead of the whole lawn.

 What else can be done to avoid and or minimize browning and or drought stress?  Mow high, 3” minimum and don’t cut the lawn at high noon- this is not a western movie- mow in the am or late pm.  Better yet, if the lawn does not need a cut, don’t mow it at all- skip a week or two.  Your heavy tractor or mower will cause more damage by crushing delicate, weakened grass versus leaving it alone.  Fertilizing, liming, and other proactive treatments can keep the lawn healthier going into hot/dry weather and help the grass recover faster.  Avoid high soluble, quick release liquid fertilizer as this can burn and or cause an undesirable- unsustainable flush of growth.  Aeration can help break up compacted soil and allow water to penetrate the surface and down into the root zone.

 In another post, I will discuss when brown grass stays brown and dies.  This condition is not always just from a lack of water, but from insect damage.  Stay thirsty my friend. . .

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