Lawn care is an unavoidable element of homeownership; you can’t just let your lawn die and destroy the aesthetic of your entire neighborhood. Most of us will have to deal with drought at some point during the year because the weather is unpredictable.
Is your lawn in for a long, hot summer? No one knows too far in advance what drought conditions may look like. However, you can help your lawn survive with the right lawn solutions. There are several to prepare for drought conditions before, during, and after to keep your lawn looking as green as possible.
Before the Drought
During the drought season, lawn care needs to be proactive in your yard maintenance routine to give your lawn the best chance of surviving the drought. The goal is to get your lawn as healthy as possible 30-45 days before an expected drought.
We recommend the following lawn solutions
- Check your soil
- Aerate your soil
- Water your lawn early in the morning
- Sharpen your mower blade
- Follow up with fertilizer
If this is your first season with your new yard or you’re new to homeownership, talk to some of your neighbors to get a feel for how your lawn might react to drought conditions and the best way to approach your lawn care. Whether you hire a lawn service company or prefer to do the work yourself, prepping your lawn in the springtime prepares your lawn for any conditions that may arise.
During the Drought
Once the drought hits, you’ll want to move your yard maintenance into survival mode. Did you know during a drought your lawn is still growing? Though you may see the grass thinning and browning in some areas, it is alive despite its look.
Even the healthiest lawn can be affected by high temperatures and lack of water. Drought stress is temporary, and once the weather conditions stabilize, grass will grow healthy and strong again.
There are lawn care tips to follow to help your lawn survive a drought:
- Keep an eye on local weather conditions
- Raise your mowing height
- Stay off the lawn
- Water responsibly
- Accept dormancy
Depending on the severity of the drought, lawn care may be limited by watering restrictions. Mowing the lawn too short or too often during times of drought can have devastating consequences. We all love green grass. However, it is vital to understand that brown grass is still alive and can bounce back when the drought conditions are over.
Drought conditions are incredibly stressful to a lawn, so avoiding further stress is critical. Hold off on projects like aerating and dethatching so the grass retains all the moisture it can for a bit.
After the Drought
Now that the drought is over, you can start to address the damage. Find the right lawn solution and get to work on the yard maintenance needed to get your lawn back in tip-top shape.
- Kill weeds
- Fertilize
- Water
Having a beautiful, green, luscious lawn is a prideful accomplishment for homeowners. For most of us, having our lawn go through a drought is inevitable. It is better to incorporate lawn solutions that treat your lawn correctly to be prepared and stand a chance at survival. If you are proactive, you can keep your lawn healthy all year round with the above techniques.
For more lawn solutions and to give your lawn the best chance at bouncing back from drought conditions, take a look at our yard maintenance care tips and tricks.
