Lawncare Drought
Resistance
Grasses need water to survive, and generally there is enough
rainfall to keep the roots moist. Lawn grasses are rarely
killed by drought and they will recover once the rain returns,
however recent trends towards drier summers mean that it would
be wise to tackle this problem early on and give your lawn the
best possible chance and keep it greener for longer.
One problem is that certain weeds are more drought tolerant
than grasses, e.g. clover and yarrow, and they will spread
while the grass is in a weakened state.
 |
Aerate the turf in autumn to a depth of at least
75mm or 3 inches. |
|
Never cut below the recommended height and keep the
grass a little longer when dry weather sets
in. |
|
Feed your lawn regularly using a fertilizer
containing phosphate to promote healthy and strong
roots. |
|
Leave the grass clippings on the lawn during dry
spells. |
|
|
Top dress in autumn after aerating using a
proprietary product.
Watering
When the grass loses its
springiness is a sign that watering is
required, then the grass will start to change
colour to a yellow and then brownish hue. At
this time the weeds and moss will start to
flourish if they haven't been adequately dealt
with previously.
Watering is best done either early or later
in the day, when evaporation will be at its
least, and the ground will benefit the
most.
How often to water is somewhat dependent on
the soil type, however a guide of once a week
under ordinary weather conditions is quite
sufficient. During a dry spell or if the soil
is very free draining then twice a week; and in
cooler weather decrease this to once every 10
days.
The principal is to allow the lawn to dry
out enough to allow the roots to get air in and
develop a stronger system. Too frequent
watering will tend towards moss spread and a
shallow root system that will be even less
tolerant to a drought.
Click here to print off this page
|
| 