Home Local News GRASS TURNING BROWN? MAYBE LET IT GO

GRASS TURNING BROWN? MAYBE LET IT GO

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A LUSH, GREEN LAWN IS A SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR MANY IOWANS AND THIS PROLONGED DROUGHT IS FORCING MANY OF US TO QUIT WORRYING ABOUT HAVING THE BEST LAWN ON THE BLOCK — AND TO LET THE GRASS GO DORMANT.

PROFESSOR ADAM THOMS OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY IS A TURFGRASS EXTENSION SPECIALIST WHO SAYS IT’S STRESSFUL FOR GRASS TO SHAKE UP THE WATERING SCHEDULE, SO HE SAYS IF YOUR LAWN IS TURNING BROWN, JUST LET IT GO:

LAWN5 OC……IN THE FALL” :14

SIOUX CITY AND DES MOINES HAVE ASKED RESIDENTS TO VOLUNTARILY CONSERVE AND CUT BACK ON WATERING.

SOME PEOPLE TURN ON THE SPRINKLERS FOR HOURS AT A TIME AND LET THEM SATURATE THE GRASS, BUT THOMS SAYS MOST LAWNS DON’T NEED MORE THAN AN INCH OF WATER IN A WEEK’S TIME.

HE SAYS IF YOU’VE LAID SOD WITHIN THE PAST YEAR OR ARE TRYING TO GROW NEW GRASS FROM SEEDS, YOU’RE IN FOR WHAT COULD BE AN EXPENSIVE, FRUSTRATING CHALLENGE.

LAWN6 OC…….”TOO DRY” :17

IF THE DRY WEATHER LASTS MUCH LONGER AND GRASS HAS BEEN DORMANT UP TO SIX WEEKS, APPLY AN INCH OR SO OF WATER IN A SINGLE APPLICATION.

THE GRASS WON’T GREEN UP, BUT IT’LL KEEP THE ROOTS ALIVE.

THOMS SUGGESTS IOWANS GIVE THEIR LAWNS A GOOD DOSE OF FERTILIZER THIS FALL TO HELP THEM RECHARGE AND COME BACK STRONG NEXT SPRING.