How To Help A Lawn Recover From Drought Stress
Coming back from a trip and discovering that your sprinklers malfunctioned can be stressful. Fortunately, you can likely help your browned lawn recover if you know the right method. The following tips can help you heal your lawn so it is emerald green again.
Tip #1: Let it grow
It can be tempting to rush mowing so you can trim off the dead, browned tips of the grass. This is a big mistake because those brown tips are acting as a protective mulch to prevent water loss from the soil as well as transpiration from the green leaf blade that remains below the browned portion. Instead, put off mowing for a couple of weeks or until the healthy portion of the grass blade is more than 2.5 inches long. Then mow at a height that is just raised enough to remove the brown portion. Going forward, keep the lawn between 2.5 and 4 inches long so water loss is diminished.
Tip #2: Aerate and dethatch
A lack of moisture can cause the soil to dry out and develop a hard crust, which makes it more difficult for water to penetrate to the grass roots later. Aeration will help with this. You can rent a core aerator or hire a landscaper to perform this service. Aerating removes little plugs of soil, which allows moisture to penetrate in. The plugs break apart after a few waterings, resulting in a more porous soil base overall. Another concern could be the thatch layer on top of the soil, which is composed of old, dead plant materials. If this layer is more than 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, moisture can't easily penetrate the soil. In this case, you will need to have the thatch layer removed before aerating.
Tip #3: Set up a watering schedule
Finally, avoid drought issues in the future. The average lawn in summer needs between 1 and 3 inches of water weekly, depending on local temperature and humidity. A local landscaper can give you more exact requirements for your grass type and climate area. Watering three to four times a week, providing about 1/3 to half of your lawn's water requirement at each irrigation, will provide sufficient water for healthy growth without weakening the root system's ability to search deeply for moisture. An automatic sprinkler system can further ease the task of making sure your lawn gets sufficient water.
For more help, contact a lawn maintenance service like Quality Lawncare & Landscaping in your area.
