Dry Patch
Hot and dry weather can really take a toll on even the healthiest lawns and cause them to become thin and patchy. This usually happens over the summer months, as the weather is hot and dry and lawn owners are generally on holiday or too busy to keep up their regular lawn maintenance schedule. Regardless of the amount of rain received over the past few months, it only takes a couple of days of hot, dry weather to affect your lawn. If you keep your lawn well-manicured and cut short, it will become more susceptible to drying out quickly, so taking steps to minimise this is really important.
Usually what you will see is bare patches throughout the lawn or your lawn would’ve started to thin out and change colour. What follows this, is those bare patches bake in the sun and become rock hard making it difficult for water and nutrients to get into the soil. This is commonly known as dry patch and appears regularly in lawns throughout the summer. Thankfully it is treatable and is relatively easy to fix.
Aeration
First things first, it is always recommended you aerate the affected area of your lawn. Aeration can be done with a garden fork, aerator sandals or a specialised aerator depending on the size of the lawn. This is crucial as it will de-compact your soil and will help nutrients and water penetrate your lawn.
Wetting Agent
Next, apply a wetting agent like Lawn Soaker to the affected area. Wetting agents come in liquid and granular forms and assist with water absorbing into your soil. This will also allow the soil to hold water in a usable manner for longer. Always remember to irrigate your lawn well after applying the wetting agent.
Stimulate Recovery
After this, it is time to stimulate your lawns growth to allow it to self-repair and cover back over. This is best done by applying an NPK fertiliser to the entire lawn and irrigating the lawn well afterwards. Always remember to apply all products at label rates and follow all instructions.
There are steps you can take to reduce the suffering.
- Choose a drought tolerant variety.
- Carry out good soil improvement practices prior to installing.
- Water your lawn correctly, less frequent, deeper soakings to encourage deep roots.
- If possible, give your lawn one deep soaking at the first sign of any heat and drought and then leave it until it starts to wilt, repeating the process as necessary. This will be more frequent in sandy soils.
- Increase the mowing height – slightly longer lawns shade the soil, reducing evaporation and stress.
Always check and abide by the relevant water restrictions in your area as these vary greatly around the country.
How long can your lawn survive without water? Read more here.
Dry patches in your lawn can sometimes be a sign of something else happening with the lawn or soil. Some of the most common reasons for dry patch (dead spots) to occur are:
1. Heat exposure (varied area sizes and shapes) – normally a combination of foot traffic, incorrect or insufficient watering practices, lack of water absorption (hydrophobic soil), reflective heat sources, direct heat over exposure.
2. Dog urine burns (up to 20cm areas and varied shapes).
3. Turf pest damage (varied area sizes and shapes).
If you are unsure of what the particular cause of your lawn patches are you can contact your local Lawn Solutions Australia member or contact us here at Lawn Solutions Australia.