Should you mow the lawn during a dry spell? Here’s what experts say

From mowing to recreation, drought and water stress impact the ways we use and care for our lawns.

Key Takeaways

• Raise mowing height during dry spells to promote deeper roots and conserve soil moisture.
• Dormant lawns need minimal water and no mowing until rain returns to resume growth.
• Adjusting lawn care during drought protects grass health and reduces water use.

Although turfgrasses are quite resilient, lawns benefit from careful management during dry periods and drought conditions. Grass slows or stops growth during periods of water stress, which impacts the lawn’s mowing needs, nutrient and water use, and durability. This impacts everything from our mowing practices to how we use the lawn for recreation. Adjusting your mowing practices during stretches of dry weather goes a long way toward protecting lawns from damage. You can further protect lawns by changing management and recreation habits.

Irrigation Vs. Dormancy

Homeowners have options when it comes to maintaining the lawn during dry spells and periods of drought. Some people irrigate the lawn through dry stretches, maintaining it in an active, green state. Others allow the lawn to go dormant. Which strategy you adopt impacts mowing practices and other maintenance needs.

Water wisely if you choose to irrigate the lawn (or sections of the lawn) during dry spells. Wait until the lawn shows signs of water stress before applying supplemental irrigation. These include rolled or folded leaf blades, a dark or blue tinge to the foliage, or lingering footprints after walking on the lawn. By delaying irrigation, you will encourage the grass to develop deeper roots. Irrigate deeply and infrequently, applying water slowly so it can penetrate the entire root zone to a depth of four to six

inches.

In established lawns, many turfgrass species can be maintained with very little water and allowed to go dormant during periods of drought. These lawns will turn brown during dormancy and green up again when rains return. Dormant grasses shut down top growth to focus on preserving the roots and plant crown. Managing lawns this way helps reduce supplemental water needs during critical times and can be an effective way of managing watering restrictions. However, not all grass species can be managed in this way.

Among warm-season grasses, Bermudagrass has the best drought tolerance, followed by Zoysia, and St. Augustine. Within each species, some cultivars tolerate drought better than others. Buffalograss is a native warm-season grass species that can also be managed as drought dormant. Among cool-season grasses, Kentucky bluegrass has a good capacity to survive drought dormancy.

During prolonged droughts lasting more than four weeks, even dormant grasses require some supplemental irrigation to survive. The goal is to keep the grass alive, not wake it from dormancy or green it up. Irrigate dormant lawns with one-half to one inch of water every three to four weeks to help them survive the drought.  Remember, only established lawns can be maintained using drought dormancy. Newly installed lawns will require regular irrigation to survive dry spells.

Mowing Lawns During Dry Spells

When lawns are maintained in a dormant state, they do not require mowing until growth resumes following the return of rain. Take additional steps to protect dormant lawns from damage by limiting foot traffic and recreation. Do not apply fertilizer to dormant lawns. Watch for weeds invading dormant lawn areas and manage these as soon as possible to avoid establishment.

Continue to mow irrigated lawns if they are not showing signs of drought stress. Make sure the grass is dry before cutting. It is a good idea to raise the mowing height to encourage deeper root growth. Taller grass stands shade the soil, which helps conserve limited soil moisture. They also reduce heat stress by insulating the plant crowns against high temperatures. The greater leaf area enhances photosynthesis, providing the energy plants need to grow deeper roots.

Grass grows more slowly during periods of low water availability so you will not need to mow as often. Adjust mowing frequency to follow the rule of one-third which tells us to never remove more than one-third of the leaf blade at a time. Keep your mower blades sharp to reduce stress on plants

and alter mowing patterns each time you mow to limit soil compaction. Finally, leave grass clippings in place to help conserve soil moisture.

Related: Can You Mow Wet Grass? The Answer Isn’t As Simple As You Think

Read the original article on Southern Living