The photos below were not taken on July 4th of last year – they were taken just a few weeks ago on Memorial Day. In May of this year, we were officially down 2.18 inches of rainfall and June has started off extremely dry – and we are still almost two weeks away from the first day of summer!
While it has been great for picnics, pool openings and baseball games, our local turf is beginning to suffer drought stress symptoms. For the last 39 years, our professional advice has always been the same for heat and drought stress.
- Water deep and infrequently to soak the turfgrass roots – irrigate with one half-inch of water twice per week.
- If you are unable to water and the current conditions continue, DO NOT mow your grass unless it is growing. Lawn mower wheel tracks and dull blades can cause injury to the turf during times of heat stress.
- Remember, your friends at Buckeye EcoCare are just a phone call away. Feel free to reach out anytime for the best tips on how to survive heat and drought stress to your lawn and landscape plants.
There is a silver lining to these late spring drought issues. Our three natural enemies – weeds, insects and disease – all require moisture for survival. With the current severe lack of natural moisture, we have reduced the probability of needing to treat for these nemeses.
The best defensive tactics for turfgrass during times of trouble are to water when you can, continue feeding it properly and most importantly, trust that you will continue to have a professional set of eyes on your lawn and landscape with the experts at Buckeye EcoCare!
