Grass & Drought

[BXmark]

We have not had a drop of rain here in my area of S.W. Ohio in 9 weeks coupled with 10 straight days of over 95 degree heat. All the lawns are completely brown. I'm worried my almost 3 acres of lawn is not going to make it. How long can lawn grasses survive with no water?

 

[tc35dforme]

until it dies !!!

but seriously, most grasses are pretty drought tolerant. The browning is just the grass plant preserving the roots ( the life of the plant ). all of the available moisture is shunted to the roots and the plant all but goes dormant. the key is not to stress it.

my rule...if your gonna water you've gotta water all season because you spoil the grass into being water dependent with shallow weak roots. if you let nature do it, the grass will be more able to cope.

just stand-by, stay off the grass as much as possible and wait for some rain. you'll be surprized at how well it comes back...and how quickly !!!

 

[TerryinMD]

I agree with tc35dforme.

Just let it go and do not worry about it. There is not much you can do until you get some rain.

Also, try not to drive across it with heavy equipment or have any football games or the such - another kind of stress.

I do not know how high you mow your grass, but the higher the better. We mow ours at 3.5-4 inches. This does two things. Prevents weed seed from germinating and keeps more moisture in the ground. In your situation, your grass may have keep a little greener a little longer. Since you haven't had that much rain, it may not have made much difference in the long run.

Just think of all the fuel you've saved!!! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Not much consolation to us tractor driving folks though..... /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Terry

 

[Mrwurm]

My grass turns brown every summer. My kids drive motorcycles and gocarts and such. The grass gets trampled and then it blows away. I am often left with nothing but dirt (S.E. Mich). As soon as we get some rain, it all grows back. Amazing stuff /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[beenthere]

Seems the worst that happens is that some weeds get a chance to enter into the world during this time of no competition. That is one reason I always plan (doesn't always happen tho ) to spray herbicide (2-4d) in the fall, after the rains come and the grass gets green again.

 

[MReeter]

mark,sorry to hear of the drought and your poor lawn,if your grass is fairly new seeding,you might have some problems.If your lawn is established,and has a decent root system,it will be O.K...We have been very lucky and have had rain when we needed it.

I can recall the Summer of 80' when we had NO rain all season and 100+ temps. for 18 days straight,when the rain finally came,the grass greened up and started growing again.

 

[Ozarker]

My grass is brown every place except over the septic laterals, near my trees and my wife's flower gardens where we water.

 

[MReeter]

Not trying to rub anyones nose in it,just wanted you all to see how lucky we have been this Summer with the rain.Infact,we just had a shower last night.

 

[RFischer]

We live outside of Louisville, KY and haven't had rain in about the same amount of time. The Ohio Valley is is unusaually dry. I agree that you should let nature take it's course. If you water the grass will get shallow roots. If you don't the roots will go deeper. As soon as it rains it will green up again, and it will someday, right? I have 6 acres so all I'm doing is keeping the schrubs watered.

 

[dlabrie]

I picked a really bad year to start new lawns! I put in an above ground pool and had to do some major landscaping. We haven't had an inch of rain for 2 months!. I know I should be watering deeply, but I am affraid to run my well dry. So I give each section about 15 minutes/day on the sprinkler. It takes about 2 hours. I just don't want it to die. The seed is expensive.

 

[rocky2]

Something strange happened yesterday here in my part of Western PA. Some unknown liquid was falling from the sky. I was like a turkey standing out in it, gazing straight up, mouth open in wonder. First time in 12 weeks any amountable quantity fell. Since the begining of summer only one 55 gal barrel of runoff from the downspouts was collected. I was just ready to replace fish in the pond with mud-puppies. I can see the hydrants where the city water main ends, 500 feet eitherway from my property. And since I can't get the line extended/connected without spending at least $15k just for the main, it's like manna from above for my wells. The grass !!?? Haven't had to put the RFM on in so long, I hope I remember how to.

 

[cj7]

I know what you mean. I am in Zelienople we all need the rain. Was not too happy that it did a number on my lane. A little seat time will fix it.

 

[rocky2]

I'm a little south of you in West Deer. Rather push the gravel back than be choaking on the dust.

 

[shade2u2]

We're in SE Ohio & have the same situation. My brand new 2 acre front lawn is very brown. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif I've mowed it 3 times this summer & this last time it looked I was just pulling around a dust blower (my new 1st Choice RFM). I hope that the roots were established enough this spring to survive. We did get a shower yesterday that did settle the dust for a day./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Turfman]

I think you are going to be ok with this. The cool season grasses, Kentucky Blue, etc., are very drought tolerant. They do their best in the six-week cool season in the spring and fall and brown out in the summer. Drought is hard on them, but I have seen grasses that have not had added water (short of your winter moisture and limited rainfall) for about a year come back when they finally get some water. Another year or two like this could be trouble because of thinning and weed competition.

Turfman

 

[Ozarker]

Well I spoke too soon about my dead grass. We got rain today, almost all day, and you could almost see the grass sucking it up and turning green once again.

Unfortunately, about 40 miles south of me they got 5" in 4 hours and two tornadoes. Those that didn't get blown out of their houses are being flooded out.

 

[Kodiak]

Ozarker:

Where are you from? My grandparents have a farm near Neosho Mo., and was wondering how hard that area got hit.

 

[njrqs]

Mike

Lovely looking place.

What's in the BIIIG tank ??

Looks like PL Gas to me?

 

[MReeter]

Yes,Liquid Propane,we have a 1000 gallon tank.We try to buy or contract our L.P. in volume to get the best price possible.

Hopefully in a few more years some of the shrubs we planted around it will begin cover it up a little.

 

[njrqs]

Gee that is as big as ones we see at garages and commercial buildings.

Is that for heating?

How long will that last?