To my associates in Texas and neighboring states, you guys and gals have been struggling with some robust climate these final 24 months.
Bear in mind the “Nice Texas Freeze” of Feb 2021?
It wasn’t that way back that I used to be working with you guys to get well your heat season lawns from that unprecedented occasion. And now right here we’re once more, just about the precise reverse.
As a substitute of tremendous chilly temps and severely slowed down very chilly rain (snow and ice) we have now tremendous scorching temps and it’s dry as a bone.
Have you ever seen the film “Rango?” If not, you need to since you’re residing by way of it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nd-yoU_9sx0
How Unhealthy Is It?
The largest query I get when there are excessive climate occasions is “will the garden die” or “my garden has gone dormant this summer time, will it survive?”
These are robust inquiries to reply however I do wish to try to be straight with you so from the bounce right here, I can let you know that if you’re in that D3 or D4 vary and haven’t been capable of give your garden no less than 1 to 1.5” of water from irrigation every week persistently, then you’ll for certain have some everlasting turf harm and loss. There simply isn’t any means round it and so they inform us that within the explanations of the US Drought Monitor.
What I see occur extra typically although, when persons are not capable of sustain with the watering required and the garden goes dormant, they cease utterly and that is the place the useless loss happens.
Your St Augustine, Bermuda, Zoysia or Centipede garden can keep in dormancy for 2-3 months so long as it’s getting no less than an inch or so of water every week. This is sufficient to hold the crowns alive despite the fact that the highest progress almost ceases and the garden goes principally brown. Some water continues to be required and you may wager there may be nonetheless fairly a little bit of optimistic exercise occurring within the soil across the roots. This space is called the rhizosphere. If this space is left to dry out for too lengthy then the turf above will certainly endure a unfavorable visible influence.
Right here’s the factor: Our heat season grasses are aggressive and may rebound from many issues, even when they’re skinny.
Massive Rains In Dallas and far of Central and East Texas
And simply as I’m ending out this weblog publish, I’m seeing studies of as much as 12” of rain coming into areas round Dallas and inflicting main flooding, and it seems like that’s going to proceed heading down in the direction of Houston.
It’s nice to get this rain, however not unexpectedly.
All that stated, listed below are some lawns throughout Texas as they appear proper now right here on August 22,23:
(from my official FaceBook Group)
Consider, these people are on my program, Yard Care Bootcamp, so their lawns had been most likely fairly wholesome stepping into and they’re nicely educated on correct watering even beneath restrictions:
Dyvonne Llamas – Larger Houston Space
“No points with my St. Aug, I have been irrigating on designated days and occasions.”
Roy and Gina Kiser – Central Texas
“I’m in central Texas and we have now had no measurable rain till at present. We now have been restricted to watering twice every week. When sections of the Zoysia would begin testing I used a soaker hose to assist convey them again. Admire your program!”
Oscar Garza – Laredo, TX.
“Proper on the border. Rotary nozzles. Run them 3x every week for an hour. [Sunday over Monday we got 4.3” of rain according to my meter] First rain in over 100 days.”
These Look Nice, However What If My Garden Is Struggling?
Right here is one the place he was severely restricted on watering – solely someday per week. And as you recognize, that is TEXAS!! At some point of watering per week have to be brutal!
Anyway, he went on trip. When he left his garden was fairly brown, and when he got here again it had recovered to this after just a few rain. (that is after a minimize)
David W – Corpus Christi
“I couldn’t convey myself to take photographs whereas my garden was battling zero rain and excessive 90’s and watering restrictions. We’re restricted to watering someday every week. Left for trip and it rained like loopy the primary day. Got here again to a jungle. We haven’t had any actual rain in months. One good rain and it’s trying a lot better. It was fairly toasty earlier than the rain.”
I can let you know that the one factor this garden wants is somewhat fert. If the rain goes to proceed and/or you’ll be able to water – hit this garden with 24-0-6 Flagship ASAP. It will likely be darkish inexperienced in every week.
In case you are undecided that you will have the ability to water and the rains could be sporadic, then hit it with 7-0-20 Stress Mix. You’ll get a pleasant inexperienced up however no progress push plus loads of potassium to assist with future stress.
Fertilizing and Water for Restoration
The keys to restoration are easy and the identical as every other time of 12 months. Preserve the garden watered (we hope the rains sustain), mow typically following the 1/third rule, and hold the garden correctly fed with fertilizer each 4-5 weeks. Heat season lawns have plenty of time left to nonetheless make headway in thickening up earlier than winter.
That is essential as a result of as you recognize, we don’t get snow cowl and due to that the bottom doesn’t freeze. When the bottom doesn’t freeze it means weeds can proceed to develop all winter lengthy and when you’ve got a skinny turf stand that leaves extra room for these weeds.
Signal as much as my electronic mail listing the place I provide weekly ideas, or get my free garden care app the place I let you know precisely what to use and when, all 12 months lengthy based mostly on soil temperatures in your road.