Dry Lawns

Whew it is hot and dry! The lack of rain for many weeks now and the hot temperatures are really hurting lawns. Everywhere I look, I see grass that is shriveling and drying up. Some are even turning brown. Centipedegrass lawns, which are not very drought tolerant, are really suffering. If we don't get some rain soon (none at the time of writing this), many lawns won't make it and will be dead soon.

Lawns are a major investment. There are even a bigger investment if you have to replace them - $$$. This means that the time has come to drag out the hoses and irrigation sprinklers. In my opinion, a higher water bill each month is much better in the long run. The last thing you want to go through is the headache and expense of having to replace the lawn.

When dry periods occur, as is common with Alabama summers, one will likely have to supplement water to save the lawn. Lawns need about 1 inch of water per week. This may come in the form of rainfall or irrigation. During droughts, the lawn will benefit by receiving about 1½ inches. It is best to divide the irrigation time into two ½ inch applications per week. When watering, avoid applying water to the point of runoff. Allow the water to soak deeply into the lawn and soil. If needed, apply less water and allow it to soak in before continuing with the watering process.

Once you have watered the lawn, do not water again until you observe more drought stress symptoms. Never water a lawn every day except during the establishment phase or renovation. Frequent watering only encourages shallow rooting of the turfgrass plants, making the lawn less drought-tolerant. The best time of the day to irrigate or water is early in the morning because it minimizes the potential for water loss through evaporation. In addition, watering in the morning will not create the environmental conditions that promote the occurrence of diseases.