A: Homeowners, armed with a weather forecast predicting severe drought can take proper preparations that can greatly improve the chances of their home lawn surviving, even with very limited water.

The Lawn Institute in suburban Chicago has assembled the following tips to manage turf during a drought.

1. Reduce or eliminate nitrogen fertilizer because at this time of year it overly promotes leaf growth, at the cost of rooting activity. Plan on fertilizing in the fall when top growth slows-down and root growth increases.

    

2. Avoid all weed killers (herbicides) because most can also lessen the vigor of grass roots, the last thing you want to do prior to or during a drought.

    

3. Reduce thatch and compaction as early in the year as possible so that moisture and air can reach the roots as easily as possible. Thatch can act like a sponge, capturing water before it reaches roots while compaction will increase rapid run-off at the cost of deep saturation.

    

4. Sharpen the mower blade several times during the turf-growing season because dull blades shred rather than cleanly cut grass and shredded turf can greatly increase water losses.

    

5. Mow less or when it's cooler because no matter how you cut it, grasses lose moisture after every mowing. Less plant moisture will be lost when mowing takes place at cooler times of the day.

    

6. Mow as high as possible to promote deep rooting and maximize soil shading. Although studies have shown that taller grasses can use more water, there is a greater benefit to deep roots and reduced soil moisture loss from evaporation.

    

7. Leave clippings, not clumps to add moisture, nutrients and a mulching effect; however, remove clumps because they will block the sun and heat up as they decay, killing the under-lying grass.

    

8. Water Right... defend your right to use water to save your landscape by participating in public water hearings, while practicing proper watering techniques.
   1. Water late at night or early morning to take advantage of cooler temperatures and less evaporative losses to the afternoon winds and hot sun.
   2. Water infrequently and deeply to encourage roots to go deeper where moisture remains available for longer periods of time.
   3. Let the grass go dormant naturally by withholding water, except for a quarter-inch every four to six weeks to keep the vital grass crowns hydrated and capable of greening up when temperatures cool and moisture is again available.

    

9. Reduce traffic on the lawn at all times if possible, but especially during the heat of the day when foot traffic and even lawn mowers can injure the grass plants and cause almost immediate dehydration.

When cooler, wetter weather returns you can help your lawn recover from a drought by watering deeply. This will wash dust off the leaves, re-hydrate the dormant crowns and initiate root growth.

A: Give your new lawn at least 2 to 3 cm. (1 in.) of water within 1/2 hour of installation. Water daily, or more often, keeping turf moist until it is firmly rooted (about 2 weeks). This allows the root system to become firmly established. After a couple of weeks, water the sod as an established lawn.

A: The following table gives the suggested mowing heights and frequency for the most common grasses in North American lawns. The "rule of thumb" is not to remove more than 1/3 of the leaf surface area each time the lawn is mowed.

 

Turfgrass	Optimum Height	Mow When It Is
Bluegrass	2.0 inches	3.0 inches
Perennial Ryegrass	2.0 inches	3.0 inches
Tall Fescue	2.0 inches	3.0 inches
Fine Fescue	2.0 inches	3.0 inches
St. Augustine	2.0 inches	3.0 inches
Buffalograss	2.0 inches	3.0 inches
Bermudagrass	1.5 inches	2.25 inches
Centipede	1.5 inches	2.25 inches
Zoysia	1.5 inches	2.25 inches

 

A: To determine the proper amount of sod or plug trays required for your installation, check our sod calculator.

A: Click here to order direct from Seedland online.

A: For best result, rototill or spade the area to a depth of 10 to 15 cm. (4 to 6 in.). Eliminate drainage problems by having soil slope away from foundations, etc.

Soil test your lawn area with the assistance of qualified service in your area. Then rake in fertilizer, lime, peat, compost, etc. as need to a depth of 7 to 10 cm. (3 to 4 in.). Rake and smooth the soil removing rocks, roots, and large clods. Roll the area lightly with a lawn roller 1/3 full of water. This will firm the soil surface and reveal low areas that need more soil. Keep the grade 2 to 3 cm. (1 in.) below sidewalks or driveway.

Water the prepared area to settle soil and provide a moist base for turf. Moistening to a depth of 15 cm. (6 in.) is recommended for most soils.

A: Install your lawn immediately upon delivery. Begin watering lawn within 30 minutes of installation. Turf is a living plant that requires ground contact and moisture to survive!

In hot weather, protect unlaid turf by placing stacks in shade, covering with moist burlap sacking, and/or sprinkling.

Begin installing turf along the longest straight line, such as a driveway or sidewalk. Butt and push edges and ends against each other tightly, without stretching. Avoid gaps or overlaps. Stagger the joints in each row in a brick-like fashion, using a large sharp knife to trim corners, etc. Avoid leaving small strips at outer edges as they will not retain moisture. On slopes, place the turf pieces across the slope.

To avoid causing indentations or air pockets avoid repeated walking or kneeling on the turf while it is being installed or just after watering.

After installing the turf, roll the entire area to improve turf/soil contact and remove air pockets.

A: By leaving your grass clippings on the lawn, you are adding nitrogen almost continually, which can reduce the need for fertilization by as much as 25%. And, leaving the clippings on the lawn (grasscycling) helps the environment by keeping clippings out of our community landfills!

A: No matter what kind of irrigation system or method you use, check and adjust it to the soil's absorption rate. A good rule of thumb is to apply water at a rate equal to or slightly less than the soil ability to absorb it. Most irrigation systems apply water faster than necessary, which wastes water through run-off. Also, don't forget to check if the system is applying water uniformly!

The best way to check both of these functions is to set out a series of straight-side, flat-bottom cans for an in-ground system or a few cans for a movable sprinkler system. Run the watering system for 30 minutes and measure the amount of water collected. You can determine the length of time needed to apply one inch of water with a little simple math. If you know the soil type, check the absorption chart to figure how long the system needs to run in order to soak the lawn to a desired depth of 4 to 6 inches. Remember to stop the watering for an interval if you see run-off occurring.

Hilly or sloping areas may require a soaker hose to reduce run-off and allow better water penetration into the soil. Soakers apply water slowly over a small area.

A: The best times to water your lawn are early morning or early evening, when there is generally less wind and heat. Watering then allows for less evaporation into the air, greater penetration into the soil, and less run-off.