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I'm looking for a guide to caring for my lawn while we're conserving for the drought. Right now we're watering 5-10 minutes per week. I hope that's enough to ke

by wnissen 12y ago

I'm looking for a guide to caring for my lawn while we're conserving for the drought. Right now we're watering 5-10 minutes per week. I hope that's enough to keep the roots alive but assume that fertilizer would be a terrible idea until the grass starts to recover.

larrydag 12y ago
Noticed that article writer is from Missouri. Down here in Texas we are in the plains but very dry conditions. While fescue is a good grass I don't recommend it for Texas. It might work with optimal soil conditions but in my experience that is tough to do.
- redtexture 12y ago
  Fescue is a european grass, suited to fairly wet environment, and not suited to the typical North American summer of the west, midwest and south. Fescue is part of why everyone waters their lawn--to reproduce a European rainfall regime. North American native grasses are the best way to go. Search on "north american native grass" for a window on more appropriate grasses. Here's a link[1] to an article on grass types and drought by Texas Cooperative Extension (via Texas A&M University). [1] http://publications.tamu.edu/TURF_LANDSCAPE/PUB_turf_Keep%20Your%20Lawn%20Alive%20During%20Drought.pdf http://publications.tamu.edu/TURF_LANDSCAPE/PUB_turf_Keep%20...
akehrer 12y ago
Check with your state's cooperative extension [1]. They'll have articles about proper watering and fertilization. They'll also have places where you can send soil samples from your yard and get a report back on its condition. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Education,_and_Extension_Service#Cooperative_Extension_System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Edu...
penguindev 12y ago
A bit OT from your question, but I've had an organic lawn the last 3-4 years (in Illinois), and while it's certainly debatable if tall organic grass 'crowds out dandelions' or not, I've been quite happy with the natural spread of white clover, particularly along parts of the lawn like the edge of the driveway that have been hit hard/first by drought. I'm pretty sure the clover is more drought tolerant than the grass will ever be. The last few years before this one we had some bad droughts, but this year our fortunes are reversed. So when I see clover getting dispersed through my grass, I get quite happy. Much better than bindweed, which took me a few years to get out :-)
- baking 12y ago
  The strength of dandelions is in their tap roots. One theory is that dandelions do best in poor, hard soil that other plants have a hard time taking root in. Let the dandelions grow and they will breakup compacted soil and you will eventually have thick grass and no dandelions, assuming you do the high mowing, infrequent deep watering, and organic fertilizer only in the fall. It will probably take more than a few years, but I've been doing this for twenty years and I'm quite happy with the results.

by wnissen 12y ago

larrydag 12y ago

Noticed that article writer is from Missouri. Down here in Texas we are in the plains but very dry conditions. While fescue is a good grass I don't recommend it for Texas. It might work with optimal soil conditions but in my experience that is tough to do.

redtexture 12y ago
Fescue is a european grass, suited to fairly wet environment, and not suited to the typical North American summer of the west, midwest and south. Fescue is part of why everyone waters their lawn--to reproduce a European rainfall regime. North American native grasses are the best way to go. Search on "north american native grass" for a window on more appropriate grasses. Here's a link[1] to an article on grass types and drought by Texas Cooperative Extension (via Texas A&M University). [1] http://publications.tamu.edu/TURF_LANDSCAPE/PUB_turf_Keep%20Your%20Lawn%20Alive%20During%20Drought.pdf http://publications.tamu.edu/TURF_LANDSCAPE/PUB_turf_Keep%20...

akehrer 12y ago

Check with your state's cooperative extension [1]. They'll have articles about proper watering and fertilization. They'll also have places where you can send soil samples from your yard and get a report back on its condition. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Education,_and_Extension_Service#Cooperative_Extension_System http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooperative_State_Research,_Edu...

penguindev 12y ago

A bit OT from your question, but I've had an organic lawn the last 3-4 years (in Illinois), and while it's certainly debatable if tall organic grass 'crowds out dandelions' or not, I've been quite happy with the natural spread of white clover, particularly along parts of the lawn like the edge of the driveway that have been hit hard/first by drought. I'm pretty sure the clover is more drought tolerant than the grass will ever be. The last few years before this one we had some bad droughts, but this year our fortunes are reversed. So when I see clover getting dispersed through my grass, I get quite happy. Much better than bindweed, which took me a few years to get out :-)

baking 12y ago
The strength of dandelions is in their tap roots. One theory is that dandelions do best in poor, hard soil that other plants have a hard time taking root in. Let the dandelions grow and they will breakup compacted soil and you will eventually have thick grass and no dandelions, assuming you do the high mowing, infrequent deep watering, and organic fertilizer only in the fall. It will probably take more than a few years, but I've been doing this for twenty years and I'm quite happy with the results.