Dealing with drought

Dealing with drought is one of the extremes of our region. We are either drowning in too much rain or thirsting for just a drop. Currently, we are in need of rain, so your lawn may be in a bit of distress. 

With our recent extreme heat, you may notice your grass turning brown. Don’t get too concerned just yet, as most of our grass species can take three to four weeks of dormancy without dying.

Brown grass isn’t always dead grass

In a time of drought, our grasses take a break and go into dormancy. This just means your grass is stressed. If you don’t believe us, you can tell if your grass is dead or dormant by tugging on plants. If they pull out from the ground easily, they’re probably dead. If the roots hold fast when pulled, the plants are dormant. Brown grass is not the only sign of stressed-out grass,  another sign is “footprinting”. 

Footprinting

Footprinting is when you step on a parched lawn and your footprints don’t disappear  right away. On a parched lawn, these are the areas that suffer first.

How does this happen?

Walking over the same areas of lawn compacts grass and soil. Compacted soil can’t absorb water. 

Preventative measures to fight drought

• At the first sign of stress, begin watering!
• Your lawn needs about an inch of water or rain per week to thrive. 
• If using a sprinkler, that means about 20 to 30 minutes/three times per week.
• Skip at least a day between waterings. 
• Move sprinklers around to cover all areas of your yard.
• Water in the mornings, between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. Watering before the sun rises helps to keep evaporation to a minimum.
• Don’t mow the lawn too short or too often during times of drought. 
• Stay off the lawn!

A little water and care will go a long way when dealing with drought in lawns.

Before you file this drought recovery plan away, remember all of the time, money, and effort you have put into your lawn and landscape. It is easier and cheaper to water your lawn now than to replace it when it’s too late. 

You can always Ask Paul

We work year-round with our customers to protect their investments. Whether preventing and treating disease and invasive pests or nurturing with lawn fertilization and aeration we want your lawn to look the best it can! 

At Lawn and Pest Solutions, our licensed lawn technicians can help you achieve your lawn goals and maintain them all year long. We serve the Memphis, Tennessee area as well as all over North Mississippi. You can contact our office any time of day or night.