Summer Lawn Care Tips
Drought Stress
Symptoms
• In early stages, turf turns a light green to grayish color. Walking on the turf causes footprints.
• Retarded growth
• Poor density
• Turf browning
• Dead turf will result from prolonged drought
Causes
• Lack of irrigation or rainfall
• Improper irrigation
Helpful Hint
• Check crowns to determine if tissue is alive. Crowns that are discolored or black are dead, and those turf plants will not recover.
Drought Stress on New Sod
Symptoms
• Irregular brown patches of turfgrass
• Patches may be restricted to certain sod pieces
Causes
• Improper watering of new sod
Helpful Hint
• New sod and seedlings are more prone to drought or other environmental stresses. Proper care at this stage is critical to encourage good root establishment.
Scorch
Symptoms
• Circular to irregular patches of off-colored turf
• White to tan bands on leaf blades
• Bands may or may not have dark borders
Conditions Favoring Development
• Periods of heavy dew
• High temperatures during day, but low night temperatures
• Sunny days
Causes
• Unknown. Considered a physiological stress
Heat Stress
Symptoms
• Browning
• Turf may die
Causes
• High temperatures
Helpful Hint
• Cool-season grasses vary in their tolerance to high temperatures. Grasses prone to heat stress include: annual ryegrass, annual and roughstak bluegrasses, bentgrass and fine fescue.
Drought Stress
Symptoms
• In early stages, turf turns a light green to grayish color. Walking on the turf causes footprints.
• Retarded growth
• Poor density
• Turf browning
• Dead turf will result from prolonged drought
Causes
• Lack of irrigation or rainfall
• Improper irrigation
Helpful Hint
• Check crowns to determine if tissue is alive. Crowns that are discolored or black are dead, and those turf plants will not recover.
Drought Stress on New Sod
Symptoms
• Irregular brown patches of turfgrass
• Patches may be restricted to certain sod pieces
Causes
• Improper watering of new sod
Helpful Hint
• New sod and seedlings are more prone to drought or other environmental stresses. Proper care at this stage is critical to encourage good root establishment.
Scorch
Symptoms
• Circular to irregular patches of off-colored turf
• White to tan bands on leaf blades
• Bands may or may not have dark borders
Conditions Favoring Development
• Periods of heavy dew
• High temperatures during day, but low night temperatures
• Sunny days
Causes
• Unknown. Considered a physiological stress
Heat Stress
Symptoms
• Browning
• Turf may die
Causes
• High temperatures
Helpful Hint
• Cool-season grasses vary in their tolerance to high temperatures. Grasses prone to heat stress include: annual ryegrass, annual and roughstak bluegrasses, bentgrass and fine fescue.
GREAT OUTDOORS tips from LadyFixIt.com