Summer gardening is coming to an end and what a season it has been! I have battled drought, deer, ground hogs, and even the occasional squirrel. Despite all this, gardeners do as gardeners do-we convince ourselves that next year will be better.
Now that we’ve finally had some rain, let’s talk about repairing drought damaged lawns. If your lawn is totally brown, the grass is most likely dormant and should return with water and fertilizer. Once the water restrictions are lifted in your municipality, water your lawn thoroughly. This is an ideal time to aerate your lawn. Aerating removes small plugs of soil which increases the penetration of water, air, and nutrients deep into the soil which help build a healthier lawn. After aeration, fertilize with a well-balanced fertilizer like Scotts Turf Builder. If you feel like weeds will be the death of you, use a broadleaf weed killer like weeds B-Gone.
If you’re seeing some bald patches or feel there’s a need to overseed or reseed your lawn, fall is the best time to do so. Given our track record with dry summers, consider trying a drought resistant grass seed. Tall fescue is a variety that’s drought and pest resistant, in addition to being able to withstand heavy traffic.
When your grass has finally grown enough to require mowing, mow so it’s taller than usual. Leaving grass taller prompts the roots to grow deeper, making it more drought resistant. Try to limit traffic on your already stressed lawn. You don’t want to cause more damage as your lawn is trying to recover. If you do all this, your lawn will recover quickly and be healthier than ever in the spring.
This is also a perfect time to flower and vegetable gardens for winter. If you took houseplants outside, it’s time to bring them in. Prevent uninvited pests from sneaking in and spreading to other houseplants by drenching your plants with an insecticide like Neem oil and quarantining your plants if possible.
I know it’s tempting to clean your gardens but leave your plant debris until spring. Leaving it helps both plants and insects to survive the winter. If you haven’t experimented with a cover crop in your vegetable garden, this is the perfect time to try it! Cover crops are extremely beneficial by providing erosion, pest, and weed control. They help prevent soil from becoming compacted and add organic matter, while increasing nutrient and water content. Rye and clover both make excellent choices. Cut perennials back that have finished blooming and add mulch to protect them. This is also a good time to prune back dead and diseased branches on rose bushes.
I know it’s disheartening to watch your hard work wither and die during droughts, but we gardeners are a hopeful bunch. If you have questions about how to best protect your lawn and garden from weather extremes, remember that at Randy’s Hardware, we don’t mind your questions. We don’t mind them at all!
