Lawn looking crispy and dead in hot, dry summer weather?
Dont worry, its supposed to.
Lush, green lawns are such inviting places to play and relax.Come outside, they seem to say.
Credit:Marty Baldwin
Bring acold drinkandkick back in the hammock.
But keeping grass so lush and green often requires fertilizers, pesticides, and waterlots and lots of water.
Ready for a shock?
Credit:Andy Lyons
how much you water in summer.
Most grasses are well-adapted to drier conditions.
Its one of their evolutionary benefits, he adds.
Marty Baldwin
Temperatures also affect grass.
Grasses like Bermuda and Zoysia are warm season grasses thattolerate more heat.
In the northern U.S., Mann says cool-season grasses grow more slowly when the temperatures rise.
This is referred to as heat stress.
Warm season grasses in the south do the opposite: Their growth increases as the temperatures rise.
Its your lawns way of conserving energy and water, Mann explains.
have a go at let Mother Nature do her thing, says Mann.
Green tissue in the middle means the grass is still alive.
If you arent sure, ask a landscape or lawn professional for help, he says.
What If Your Neighbors Say Something About Your Grass Turning Brown?
If you belong to ahomeowners associationthat mandates a carefully maintained lawn, talk to your fellow members.
Education is key to getting buy-in from HOAs, Mann says.
If you do mow, you may wind up with conspicuous tire tracks, but theyll eventually go away.
Increasing the amount oforganic matterin your soil to improve its ability to hold moisture also can help.
Beware of silver bullets, Hall adds.
Understand that living species have different growth habits and needs for sun and moisture.
Learn to work with those, just like youdwork with your hydrangeas.
Research your soil and lawn species and get advice from ecological design or permaculture companies.
you might have your yard and eat it, too, she says with a laugh.
Its absolutely possible to have a beautiful green lawn.
It just requires loosening your perception of what a beautiful lawn is.
“A STRATEGY FOR MAPPING AND MODELING THE ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF US LAWNS.”
The International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, 2005, pp.
