By Marty Ross
When heat and drought set in, lawns may turn brown and appear lifeless. However, they may not be dead, but conserving resources until conditions improve. For both cool and warm climate lawns, seasonal dormancy is normal.
The best way to make sure your lawn bounces back from a period of dormancy is to continuously take care of it. A lawn that is well-watered, free of weeds, and mowed properly will experience less dormancy with faster recovery times.
Naturally, rain will revive a brown lawn. However, if rainfall is insufficient watering the lawn deeply once a week will help your lawn to spring back to green. With Gilmour’s Pattern Master Circular sprinkler, you can customize the spray area so you water only the lawn and not the sidewalk. Set up a timer on your spigot, so the sprinkler will come on for 15-20 minutes per watering session. The best time to water is early in the morning between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., when it’s usually less windy and when temperatures are low.
Once grass starts to grow again, it’s okay to mow with your mower set to 3 ½ inches. Do not scalp the lawn to try to remove brown blades of grass. Let new fresh grass grow around them. Leave grass clippings on the lawn to fertilize the lawn naturally.
When soil is rehydrated and grass plants turn green, so will the weeds. Remove them by hand or spot-treat with a natural herbicide by following directions on the label.
One way to determine if grass is dormant or dead is by tugging on the grass plants. If the plants pull out from the ground easily, they’re probably dead. If the roots hold fast when pulled, the plants are dormant. You will also see the difference when you start to water or when rain returns as moisture will revive brown grass. However, it will not bring dead grass plants back to life.
Grass turns brown in response to stress. Heat and drought put a lot of stress on grass during the summer. Even warm climate grasses may turn brown for a few weeks.
A healthy lawn can survive up to four weeks without water. If a drought persists, water with a Gilmour Flexogen Super Duty hose and Adjustable Wind-resistant Rectangular Sprinkler by following these tips.
Lawns should be watered deeply but infrequently, about once a week, for 20-30 minutes. Watering before summer dormancy will encourage grass plants to develop deep roots, giving them better access to moisture in the soil.
You can take care of a brown lawn by limiting further stress on grass plants. Mow less often, or not at all, during a drought. If you do mow, set the mower height higher than normal at about 3 ½ inches. Tall blades of grass shade the soil, which reduces evaporation and retains moisture. When grass is dormant or beginning to grow again, it’s best not to walk on it.
Do not fertilize a brown lawn. You do not want to promote leaf growth at a time when the roots have little access to moisture.
Some weeds may grow while the grass is dormant. Dandelions, for example, are perennial weeds with tap roots that reach into the soil for moisture. They can survive heat and drought. The best way to keep weeds in check is to maintain a healthy lawn. If you see weeds actively growing when your lawn is dormant, pull them by hand or spot-treat with an organic herbicide (follow directions on the label).
If hot weather and drought make your grass turn brown, just remember that brown lawns are not necessarily dead lawns. Good lawn care practices and a little patience are all you need.
Circular Sprinkler with Simple Setup
We’ve reimagined the design of the traditional sprinkler and simplified it. Now, setting the radius, distance and flow is simple and stress free. Our innovative shape control means customizing your sprinkler’s coverage
Learn MoreRectangular Sprinkler with On/off Switch
Through innovative design and technology we’ve created a sprinkler that’s easy to use, simple to adjust and intuitively customizes to fit your lawn. Our clever on-off flow control switch requires just one
Learn MoreLandscapers make their living by planting and maintaining beautiful gardens. It’s their job to make sure that trees are planted properly, shrubs are pruned at the right time and flowerbeds flourish over
Get the Tips