Repairing a drought-ravaged lawn

This past summer was very hot and humid, but thanks to you, watering restrictions were not necessecary. Durham residents did their part by following the odd/even day lawn watering guidelines. And when you did water, you limited it to one inch per week.

Hot summers, like the one we just had, can be a challenge to the water distribution system, as water use can increase by as much as 50 per cent due to lawn watering and other outdoor uses. Thanks to all Durham residents who kept water efficiency top of mind in the hot summer days; we got through this past summer without having to ask residents to further reduce their outdoor water use.

If your lawn does need some restoration, we have some tips!

Look for spots that have not grown back even with the autumn rain. If these same spots have not grown back in spring, apply a half inch layer of triple mix and add a grass seed mixture designed for southern Ontario. The grass seed should have a mixture of rye, fescue and bluegrass to suit our seasons. Keep the seed moist as it germinates and works to become established.

If your lawn struggles to stay green even when it rains, consider topdressing (with triple mix) and over-seeding your whole lawn to give it more soil to hang onto nutrients and rainfall. Once it regains its health, ensure that your lawn receives a combination of about one inch of rain or watering per week in the summer.

Fall is the best time to fertilize your lawn because most of its growth is occurring in the roots. Fertilizing promotes deeper root growth, improves your lawn’s ability to remain healthy through hot, dry periods and resist weeds.

Fertilizers are identified by three numbers. The first number tells you the proportion of nitrogen. Choose one with moderate nitrogen like 12. The middle number is for phosphorous which helps with root development and growth. The last number is for potassium, that adds resiliency to your turf. A 12-9-9 fertilizer is ideal for Fall as it provides the balanced nutrition your lawn needs.

More information about saving water outdoors.