What to Do During a Drought

Long stretches of warm, sunny days might be good for your mood and weekend plans, but they can wreak havoc on your lawn. Even if you have to watch your once-green grass fade when the rainfall fails to appear, it is possible to make it through droughts without spoiling your sunny disposition - or facing sky-high water bills. Here's how:

1. Cut grass higher. Drought periods have more impact on bare or poorly protected soil than soil protected by shade and tall plants. That's because the soil becomes warmer, so water evaporates faster. During droughts, let your grass grow a little taller than usual. This will help provide more shade for soil and allow your lawn to create deeper roots.
2. Leave grass clippings on your lawn. Similarly, grass clippings left on your lawn after mowing help shade your soil and retain moisture in your lawn after watering.
3. Water early in the morning. Watering before 9:00am prevents evaporation due to heat and wind, making your water use most efficient.
4. Decrease or stop using fertilizers. The less food your lawn gets, the less it will want to grow. That means less watering. So during the hottest, driest periods, cut down on fertilizing or don't fertilize at all. Your grass will continue to grow - just more slowly. Then you can reintroduce your regular fertilization plan during cooler, wetter months in fall.
5. Plant drough-tolerant grass. If you're in an area that regularly experiences drought conditions, consider choosing a more drought-resistant grass such as the turf-type tall fescues, the native warm-season zoysia grass or native buffalo grass.
6. Let the grass go dormant. Here's the good news: Most grasses are equipped to survive hot, dry weather. Instead of dying like plants, they go dormant, no longer requiring food or water. When the rain and cooler temperatures come again, the grass will awaken and return to its greener, healthier state.

For more info, check out How to Deal with your Lawn During a Drought.