MINNEAPOLIS — This year, you are not the only one whose lawn appears a little lifeless.
Although Minnesota is renowned for its lush summer grass, it has been sporadic this year.
It is well known that the summer sun can be damaging to grass, but this year, according to Adam S. Pierre of Diamond Cut Lawn Care, is different.
The wind, Pierre said, “has just been driving the moisture out of the plant leaves and that’s really accentuated the dryness. We’ve had that wind for about a month.” The combination of the wind, heat, and dryness is simply drying out everything.
But according to Pierre, there is a way to support the grass’s recovery. But not every day, he advises drinking water. He claims that those daily 15-minute waterings hurt more than they help.
The water “just kind of sits on the surface and it’s not going to go down too far into the dirt,” he said after about 15 minutes. “The roots will try out at the bottom if you have shallow roots, and the grass plant won’t be able to withstand the drought as well. To get the water to the deep roots, you should water for a while—probably an hour.”
He instructs you to place a tuna in the sprinkler’s path. You’ll know your lawn has been properly watered when you return an hour later and an inch of water has accumulated inside.
The grass will always be greener, according to Pierre, if you water it thoroughly once a week early in the morning. The yard absorbs moisture best in the morning.
Additionally, he advises watering for 30 minutes on a sloped yard, pausing for 30 more to let the water soak in.
