Caring For Your Lawn in Arid Summer Months

Care and patience makes the difference between a lush, healthy lawn and a coarse, brown eyesore, especially when rainfall is sparse.

Most people take pride and care in maintaining their lawns, although weather conditions often hamper even a green thumb’s best efforts. And, it’s not just a matter of beauty — or friendly neighborhood competition. Maintaining your home’s landscape is important for property values.

According to the Oregon State University Extension Service (OSUES), many people water their lawn more than necessary. As a result, lawns have developed a reputation for using a lot of water. Instead of following a predetermined watering schedule, check the soil moisture regularly. You can then alter your schedule to better meet your lawn’s needs.

To check soil moisture, the OSUES suggests inserting a screwdriver into the soil. If it penetrates the soil easily, it is moist. If not, you know your lawn is getting dry.

During dry summers, consider watering half as much as usual. Lawns will stay mainly green, with a few brown spots, if they receive ½ to ¾ inch of water per week. Watering once or twice a week to apply this amount of water should be sufficient.

Another option, one that home owners may be reluctant to consider, is to forgo watering altogether and allow the turf to go dormant and turn brown during the summer. If having a brown summer lawn is not your idea of compromise, here are some additional lawn care strategies from Roch Gaussion, Ph.D., associate professor of Agronomy and Horticulture at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln:

• Minimize fertilization. Over fertilized and over-watered lawns tend to lack the wherewithal to thrive under stress. This spells trouble during a drought because the lawn hasn’t developed a deep root system. Heavily fertilized lawns also require more water, so home owners may want to wait until fall to fertilize.
• Mow your lawn properly. A good rule of thumb for mowing is "never remove more than one-third of the grass at one time," Gaussoin recommends raising the mowing height of your lawn