If you live somewhere that’s drought-prone, you may have given up on having a lawn that you’re proud of. You don’t want to run your sprinklers all day long (and you may not be allowed to anyway), but your yard is in desperate need of water and upkeep. Now what?
While it’s not going to be easy, there are a few ways that you can keep a healthy lawn even when the conditions aren’t ideal. It won’t be easy, but the results are worth it.
Keep reading to learn all about maintaining a healthy lawn in a drought.
Avoid Touching Your Grass
When there’s a serious drought going on and your grass is already suffering, do your best to avoid touching it too much. This may mean that you have to keep your kids and pets out of the yard, but if you want to maintain a green lawn in drought conditions, it’s for the best.
Don’t walk or run on the lawn if you don’t have to. If your grass is still green, that doesn’t mean that it’s still structurally sound. It’s likely not growing at the moment, so if you damage it, that damage may be permanent.
Resist the temptation to mow your lawn at this point.
Don’t Over-Mow
If you’ve had a bit of rain recently, but you’re still officially in a drought, you can mow your lawn in moderation to get rid of some of the “dead” grass.
Seeing signs of a dormant lawn is stressful. It’s not as lush and green as you’d like, so you want to chop it all off and start fresh, right?
When you mow the lawn too close, you’re also removing healthy grass. This can put your lawn under more stress and make it more susceptible to damage from the drought.
Water (In Moderation)
Most of the time, your local government will give you regulations regarding when you can water your lawn during a drought. These regulations may change over time.
Water your grass exactly as much as the regulations allow when it’s starting to go dormant. You should only use a small amount of water on dormant grass, so you’ll still be able to conserve water.
Your grass won’t turn green overnight, but new and healthy grass may begin growing if you’re patient and diligent with your watering schedule.
Hire a Professional
If you’re feeling like nothing you do is helping your lawn, it’s time to hire a lawn care professional. They have the tools and expertise to protect and revitalize your lawn, even during bad weather conditions. They may also be able to advise you about lawn maintenance for future reference.
Hiring a professional gives you a blank slate (in this case, a healthy lawn) to work with.
Maintain a Healthy Lawn This Summer
Even if you foresee a drought in the future, you can still maintain a healthy lawn. Lawn care in a drought is challenging, and you may not have the perfect and lush lawn that you’ve had in the past. Just be diligent and try these tips.
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