So according to our new
weather app on our facebook page today is going to be an absolute scorcher and according to the Beeb, the hotest day at Wimbledon ever! With that in mind and the amount of
turf we have been selling recently, I figure it's appropriate to write a blog on taking care of your lawn in the summer heat. (Also perhaps my father will take a look and not destroy his lawn again this year!)
Decide beforehand about watering your lawn
Decide at the beginning of the season to either water lawns
consistently as needed throughout the season, or let lawns go dormant as
conditions turn hot and dry. Do not rotate back and forth. In other
words, don’t let the grass turn totally brown, then apply enough water
to green it up, then let the grass go dormant again. Breaking the lawns
dormancy actually drains large amounts of food reserves from the plant.
When is it time to water?
The first few warm days of summer does not automatically mean it's time to
water lawns. In fact, allowing lawns to start to go under mild drought
stress actually increases rooting. Watch for foot printing, or
footprints remaining on the lawn after walking across it (instead of
leaf blades bouncing back up). Grasses also tend to turn darker in
colour as they go under drought stress.
Water conservation
If you decide to water your lawn, it only needs about 2.5 cm (1 inch)
per week. Use a
sprinkler that shoots low to the ground and avoid
allowing water to hit the driveway or into the street. Set out a rain
gauge or a tuna can then turn on your sprinkler to see how long it takes
to get 2.5 cm of water. Then you will know the next time how long to
leave the sprinkler on for. Water not being absorbed quickly could mean a
compaction or thatch problem and your lawn could need aerating.
Remember the 2.5 cm (1 inch) once a week rule applies to lawns that are
already well established. New grass seed and sod will require 2.5 cm of
water two to three times per week for the first three weeks after which
time you can water for established lawns.
Mow high
Mow your lawn at a higher than normal height. This will help shade
the soil, help to stop weeds from getting started and encourage roots to
be stronger.
To reduce the possibility of having fertiliser wash into our water
system, don’t water heavily soon after fertilising. Use light watering
to give the fertiliser the opportunity to be absorbed by the soil. Also,
if heavy rains are in the forecast, hold off
fertilising until the
heavy rains have passed.
Avoid applying an excess of nitrogen as warm
weather approaches.
Water problem areas by hand
Many lawns have one or two spots that require more water than the
rest of the lawn. A south-facing or sunny area in an otherwise shady
lawn is an example of a “problem area.” If you water your entire lawn
every time you need to water these hot spots, you’ll likely overwater
everyplace but these spots.
Minimize walking on your lawn
Dormant grass is already stressed, and foot traffic or landscape
equipment will crush the dry, delicate crowns of the grass. This will
kill the grass and cause bare spots in the lawn – where weeds will
invade. Do not mow your grass when it is dormant.
No comments:
Post a Comment