n hot, dry climates, keeping a lawn green becomes more and more challenging. Switching out some areas of lawn for drought resistant plantings is a good idea; however, for those areas of lawn you wish to keep, simply changing your care habits can help you keep green, healthy grass throughout the growing season. Here are some tips to help you do just that!
1. Water more deeply and less often. Use a Soaker Hose and apply a wetting agent to water your lawn thoroughly no more than once a week. This method will make the most use of every precious drop of water while helping your grass grow a strong, resilient root system that can withstand longer periods without watering.
2. Use organic fertilizer correctly in the early spring. Give your grass a good feeding with bone, blood or granulated chicken manure to get it off to a good start at the beginning of the growing season. This will give it a firm foundation for staying strong through the challenging summer months.
3. Mow higher and less frequently. It is smarter to mow your grass a little higher and less often. Set your mower blades high and mow no more often than 4 times per month. Doing so helps keep moisture in the ground, deters weed growth and saves resources and energy.
4. Give special treatment to areas where kids and pets play and rest. When possible, move play equipment occasionally to avoid killing grass around it. For areas around immovable equipment, fertilize a little more often and make the areas off limits occasionally to give the grass a break.
