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.
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Aerate the turf in autumn to a
depth of at least 75mm or 3 inches. |
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Never cut below the recommended
height and keep the grass a little longer when dry weather sets in. |
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Feed your lawn regularly using a
fertilizer containing phosphate to promote healthy and strong roots. |
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Leave the grass clippings on the
lawn during dry spells. |
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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.
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