There is no doubt that lawns and landscapes in our area are suffering drastically from this summer’s drought. July had 27 straight days of 100+ degree weather, with no rainfall. Some local utility districts have also implanted watering restrictions which have left some of our customers without the ability to offer their lawns the amount of water they need to thrive. Less water and extreme heat have led to some detrimental states of lawns throughout our neighborhoods. So, what do we do now?
If you currently do not have a drought recovery plan in place, we highly recommend that you consider one. Late summer is the best time for recovery for two main reasons: lower temperatures and increased rainfall.
During the late summer, we generally get a nice break from the scorching heat, as well as assistance from Mother Nature in terms of more of the rainfall that your lawn needs. Although we begin getting a break from the 100+ degree weather, temps are still warm enough for adequate soil temperatures to promote the growth and recovery of your turfgrasses. As we move closer to the fall and winter when temperatures drop, the growth rates of our lawn grasses will as well, so now is the optimal time for encouraging the recovery of your lawn.
Recovering From Not Enough Water
Deep and infrequent watering promotes healthy root systems for your turfgrass by encouraging them to dive deep within the soil, making them stronger. If you are watering a little bit every day, we highly recommend you consider dropping this down to 2 – 3 times per week. Rather than focusing on the run-time, focus on the output your system is performing. We would recommend your lawn receive 1 inch of water to 1½ inches of water per week, in the absence of rain.
If we receive some assistance from Mother Nature, great! If not, run your irrigation system to make up the difference. To make your watering go even further, implement the cycle and soak method on your sprinklers!
We also recommend watering early in the morning, as close to sunrise as possible. Never water at night. This will help reduce fungal pressure. We cannot control Mother Nature but controlling the moisture where we can is beneficial.
How Our Lawn Care Program Works
There are many aspects at play when it comes to the overall health of your turfgrass. Our lawn care programs include fertilization, weed control, disease control, and lawn damaging pest control. Ensuring that your lawn does not face threats to cause further stress as we focus on recovery during this late summer is key.
This time of year, the primary threat your lawn will face will be pressure from disease. Particularly following drought conditions, if left untreated, the pressure affecting your already stressed-out lawn is much greater. In time, diseases such as Brown Patch can cause damage to grass blades and entire areas of die-off. Our program can help prevent and treat a variety of fungal diseases. As we move further into the rest of this season, our lawn care services will focus on weed control and the appropriate fertilizers when necessary.
Additional Recommendations To Help Your Lawn Green Up
Your lawn is not the only thing suffering this summer; your landscapes are sure to have experienced some great pressure from the drought. We can help here, too! Lawn Tech offers a comprehensive tree and shrub care program that covers fertilization, insect, and disease control. Much like your lawn, landscapes currently experiencing stress will be more susceptible to activity from insects and disease this season. Our fertilizers are sure to help them catch up on the nutrients they are missing out on and bounce back from the summer stress.
Warm-Season Grass Aeration
Lawn aeration is also a great way to work your way back to a healthy lawn. At Lawn Tech, we offer both core and liquid aeration which provide similar results. Aeration helps your lawn naturally dethatch, as well as break soil compaction, allowing more air and water to reach the root system, encouraging root growth deeper into the organic matter of the soil. We follow your aeration with our fertilization and targeted herbicide. This treatment is highly recommended for warm-season lawns to help recover from dry weather and drought stress.
Help Your Lawn Recover Now
As we mentioned above, the optimal window for homeowners to make the most out of their lawn and landscape recovery this season is NOW. If you wait too long, you will move into unfavorable conditions for growth, primarily the temperatures, and run the risk of additional damage due to disease.
Right now, we recommend considering our services to pair perfectly with the rainfall to help turn your lawn around while there is still time. Worried your lawn is too far gone? Don’t! We do not require any sort of contract, so you could essentially cancel at any time if you are not satisfied with the results. The time frame for full recovery will of course depend on the extent of the damage your lawn is under now, but we are confident you won’t regret giving us a shot. Contact us today to learn more!