Lawn Care After a Summer Drought
A drought is defined as a period of unusually dry weather that causes problems such as crop damage and water supply shortages. Live Science says of all the weather-related patterns that bring on severe economic impacts throughout the country, droughts are second only to hurricanes. Here in Andover, we are currently experiencing drought conditions after a summer with minimal rainfall, dry conditions, and high temperatures.
You, along with all your neighbors, may be concerned about your dry, yellow, crunchy lawn. How can you ever bring it back from the dead — especially with many communities on water bans right now in an effort to conserve water? There isn’t much you can do under these conditions. Even if your town does not have a watering ban, and even if you have an irrigation system, you’re still not going to see the results you want. It’s just too darn hot and we haven’t had enough rain. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, though.
Assess Your Lawn
In many cases, your grass isn’t really dead; it’s dormant. However, a drought is pretty good at revealing trouble areas with your lawn. You’ll notice patches where some green grass is growing, as well as brown, crispy grass, dry patches and areas of weed growth. The best course of action is to leave your lawn alone for now. Don’t cut it (it’s probably not growing anyway) or you could risk killing it for good.Consult with your lawn care professionals at T&B Landscape and Irrigation for assistance and tips on how to move forward.
After the Drought
Once normal conditions have returned, there are a few steps to take to get your lawn back to its stellar shape:
1. Water, water, water. Give your lawn a good soaking in order to bring moisture to the soil and encourage new root growth. It’s best to do this in the early morning and then again in evening when the sun is going down.
2. Fertilize. Using a spreader, apply fertilizer containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
3. Kill the weeds. Once your grass starts looking stronger and greener, use herbicide only on the weeds themselves rather than the whole lawn. When you get rid of the weeds, you make more moisture and nutrients available for the lawn to thrive.
4. Resume your regular maintenance. All set now? Pick up where you left off before the drought and care for your lawn as you normally would. Make sure you’re watering consistently, thatching, aerating, mowing and trimming.
Contact T&B Landscape and Irrigation
Need more suggestions on how to restore your lawn back to its former glory after this season’s drought? Contact us today at (978) 296-5290. We are proud to serve Andover with services performed by skilled stone masons, licensed irrigation specialists, carpenters, and other trades to result in a unique landscape. Schedule a lawn car appointment with us today — we’ll get your grass greener than ever!