Caring for Your Lawn During a Drought

Lawns are generally the largest consumer of water for a typical property. During times of drought, your lawn can suffer damage that reaches much farther than initial browning. Most weeds require much less water than grass to survive. During times of drought weeds can continue to thrive and drown out the surrounding suffering grass. A general rule of practice requires your CNY lawn to receive one inch of water per week. Some extra ways you can help protect your lawn during a drought are:

• Mow weekly so you don’t remove more than one-third of the grass blades
• Mow the lawn higher during times of drought. Taller grass blades will promote deeper roots and the grass will shade the soil resulting in less evaporation
• Leave grass clippings on the lawn as you mow. This will help feed small amounts of nitrogen back into the soil
• When watering, try to avoid watering during the peak heat. Watering in the early morning or as the sun begins to fall will leave little room for burning and create less evaporation.