Purdue News

October 1, 1999 Water, fertilize drought-stricken lawns now WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – This September's unusually dry weather may cause many lawns to die if homeowners don't take steps to help the turf recover, says Zac Reicher, assistant professor of agronomy at Purdue University. "The excessive heat in July coupled with the current extended drought has weakened, if not killed, many turf areas," Reicher said. "September and October are prime growing months for turf, and it usually recovers from summer damage at this time of the year. But because of this year's dry weather, unirrigated turfgrasses are not experiencing any recovery this fall." Reicher said that the bottom line is that unirrigated turf should be watered immediately. "This will prevent further turf damage and help start the recovery process. Obviously this recommendation should only be followed in locations where water use restrictions are not in place." Reicher had these suggestions for improving turf following this summer's drought: • As soon as possible, water lawns enough to wet the soil five or six inches deep. Continue this once or twice a week if dry weather continues through the fall. "Even though some areas have received rain recently, irrigation may be needed throughout the fall if dry weather returns," he said. • Fertilize now with one pound nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. (For most lawn fertilizers, this would mean using the normal or recommended rate listed on the fertilizer bag.) • If a lawn is watered regularly, or if the drought subsides, fertilize the lawn a second time in early November with one-and-a-half pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. • Do not apply broadleaf herbicides to dormant turf. "Turf and weeds must be green and actively growing for the herbicide to have its desired effect and not kill the turfgrass," Reicher said. If the lawn chores are too much work, Reicher said that homeowners can gamble that nature will revive the lawn. "The danger is if we have little snow and the weather is cold and windy, more turfgrass plants might be weakened and killed during the winter," he said. Reicher said lawns normally should be reseeded in the fall (mid-August to mid-September). They also can be reseeded in the spring, but it is more difficult to get new grass to grow then. "In the spring you have more intensive watering requirements, and more weeds and diseases," he said. More information is available from the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service office in your county, or in these three Extension publications: • AY-7:Irrigation Practices for Homelawns • AY-13: Lawn Improvement Programs • AY-20: Seeding a Turf Area in the Spring CONTACT: Reicher, (765) 494-9737, zreicher@dept.agry.purdue.edu Compiled by Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; sig@ecn.purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page