Turfgrass management tips for drought conditions

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Glen Eller

July 3, 2009

By DAVID CANTRELL The McAlester News-Capital Fri Jul 03, 2009, 10:19 AM CDT

With temperatures already breaking 100 degrees in Pittsburg County this year, lawns may be experiencing stress due to extreme heat and dry conditions. The following are a few management tips that can be used for summer stressed lawns.

Raise the mowing height to 1 – 2 inches for bermuda grass lawns and 3 inches for cool-season lawns such as tall fescue.

Avoid heavy fertilization during summer stress; instead apply light and frequent applications. Always base fertilization on current soil test.

Water the lawn only as needed to prevent summer stress or dormancy, don’t keep the lawn wet all the time, but allow the soil to dry between water cycles.

Best watering times are early morning or late evening; avoid watering during the heat of the day if possible.

Apply pesticides only when warranted and according to label. Many herbicides should not be applied when temperatures are above 85 degrees.

Check the turf thatch layer. Thatch layers thicker than 0.5 inch can cause water infiltration problems.

And finally, take plenty of water and cool down breaks while doing lawn chores.

David Cantrell is the Extension Agriculture Educator for the Pittsburg County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Contact David Cantrell at 423-4120 or e-mail david.cantrell@okstate.edu

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