As the drought continues in California, many landscapers are abandoning industry best practices in an effort to comply with Governor Brown's mandatory water restrictions. But water restrictions don't have to be a death sentence for turf!
Implementing the right combination of cultural and smart watering practices can result in turf and soil that is healthy year-round, even during the hot summer months.
In this article, we'll take a quick look at 5 common myths and the practices that address the concerns behind the myth. If you want a more thorough and comprehensive explanation of smart watering practices, be sure to visit the Drought Solutions section of our site.
Myth #1: Water restrictions mean my grass will die.
If you are utilizing fundamentally sound water management practices, your turf can thrive on as little as 2 days of watering per week. Using controller settings like cycle and soak can get the same impact as watering more often without creating runoff from long run times.
Myth #2: If my turf is green, then I'm not saving water.
Using products like Turface, humic acids, wetting agents and soil surfactants will help keep your turf green while reducing water usage by up to 30%!
Myth #3: I can’t fertilize because it won’t get watered in and I will burn my turf.
Using high quality organic fertilizer will direct most nutrient activity to the roots and crowns, avoiding the “burn” you get with water soluble nitrogen.
Improving your soil will help the turf stay healthy enough to survive these drought conditions. The time you put in today will save you time in repairs and replacement later.
Myth #4: I should just scalp my turf through summer.
While scalping may seem like an easier solution, it actually puts more stress on the turf. Mowing heights should be RAISED through summer, creating a deeper and more extensive root system, allowing plants to withstand summer stress. Plus that taller grass will allow soil temperatures to remain cooler at the soil surface.
Myth #5: Less water means the soil will dry and water will runoff.
If you focus on your soil’s health by using organic vs synthetic products your turf will become more porous, actually retaining water in the subsurface. So rather than just running off, the water is reserved by the soil and released as needed.
