As a homeowner, you understand the value of a beautiful lawn. It can elevate the appearance of your entire property. Unfortunately, dry conditions can make it difficult for your grass to flourish. Here’s how you can manage a drought.
Stay Off the Lawn
During a drought, it’s important to decrease the amount of traffic on your lawn. Constantly pounding against the ground compacts the soil, which makes moisture absorption a bigger challenge. Simply avoiding walking on the lawn will help counteract periods of dryness. This means you’ll need to find other areas for children and pets to play. Furthermore, hold off on any big yard projects. The extra stress will only further weaken the grass.
Properly Water
To no surprise, dehydrated grass will struggle to survive. However, don’t make the mistake of overwatering your lawn. Not only can overwatering decrease the amount of oxygen in the soil, but it can also promote the growth of weeds. While some homeowners turn on their sprinkler system every day, this is not the best approach.
Research shows that deeply watering your lawn once or twice a week is enough to keep the grass green. However, you need to know the correct time of the day to do so. Ideally, you should set your sprinkler system to turn on between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM. These early-morning hours make evaporation far less likely to occur.
Apply Fertilizer
After you’ve increased your lawn’s moisture levels, you can safely apply fertilizer. Recommended turf supplies can add critical nutrients to the soil. During extremely dry conditions, resist the temptation to use high-nitrogen fertilizers. Introducing too much nitrogen at once can ruin a lawn’s root system. Slow-release formulas are typically far better for drought-prone areas. Adding potassium can also help the grass to remain healthy.
Smart Mowing
Be careful when mowing during a drought. Instead of bagging grass clippings, mulch them back onto the lawn. This actually gives your lawn an extra level of protection against the sweltering heat.
You must avoid cutting the grass too short, which can make it more prone to losing moisture. Set the mower’s blade to its highest setting. Also, avoid mowing on a weekly basis. Cutting the grass every two weeks is a better approach.
Don’t allow dry weather to ruin the appearance of your lawn. By taking the necessary measures, you can keep the grass green and lush during a drought. The extra care is bound to pay off.