25 Lawn Care Tips for Dry Climates

For most of us, the summer heat kills our lawns. The lush green grass turns to dry, yellow turf-and it’s not pretty. Watering your lawn twenty-four hours a day might help, but that’s not always plausible. If your area is facing a drought or you’re running low on money, leaving your sprinklers running all day simply isn’t an option. If you live in an arid or desert-like climate, consider putting some extra effort into making your lawn beautiful this summer. Below are twenty-five lawn care tips for yards in dry climates.

1. Water regularly and deeply-and use a good mulching mower. Of course, watering your lawn every day is best, but if that’s not practical, you should irrigate every time it rains.
2. Invest in drought-tolerant grasses and plants that won’t wilt or turn brown.
3. Spread compost over your lawn in the spring before you plant it-it will help keep your lawn healthy while keeping weeds under control.
4. Maintain a healthy organic mulch layer underneath your lawn to promote drainage and help prevent weeds.
5. Consider using a “soaker” hose or drip irrigation to make the most of your water supply.
6. If you can afford it, try using an automatic sprinkler system that waters at specific times each day-you can program your system to give your grass a deep soaking once or twice each week.
7. If your area has received ample rainfall, don’t water too much. Watering does more harm than good if there’s already plenty of moisture in the ground.
8. If you have a lawn that’s being attacked by weeds, apply a herbicide or prune away smaller weeds.
9. If your favorite plants are dying off, try skipping some water during your irrigation routine to let the plant grow.
10. Reduce your lawn’s total moisture content with a sprinkler system that uses a dry-only setting at night, and that doesn’t water when it rains.
11. Before adding new grass seed to your lawn, treat it with an organic fertilizer, such as one formulated for vegetables.
12. Grow a couple of varieties of grass in order to create a lawn that can survive various weather conditions
13. Often, the soil under your lawn is baked by the summer heat, so consider filling in potholes and sinking areas with layer upon layer of sand or other soil amendments.
14. Instead of covering your yard with a blanket of a single grass species, mix it up. Different varieties grow at different rates.
15. Consider turning over more of your lawn to some low-growing plants that will look good from both above and below.
16. Keep mower blades clean and sharp-they’ll last longer and cut more efficiently.
17. Consider turning some of your yard into a flowerbed, perhaps one that mimics your favorite desert.
18. If you own a lawn in an area with severe drought, consider replacing it with a colorful rock garden or some blacktop for a driveway.
19. Use a water-saving nozzle to lessen the amount of water you’re using per day-you can even apply one to your hose in order to save some money.
20. Don’t forget about snowmelts and rainfall: these will often recharge the soil underneath your lawn much faster than sprinkler systems or rain will.
21. Ensure that your sprinklers are adjusted so the water isn’t hitting the lawn directly-the ideal setting is about six inches above the ground.
22. Consider using a watering system that applies water faster and at a lower pressure than typical sprinkler systems do-you can lessen evaporation rates this way.
23. Instead of running your lawn mower over bare dirt or sand, target these areas with a hand scythe or other tool to prevent weeds and to help maintain your tools’ sharpness.
24. If you’re using a power mower, use one with a mulching blade in order to help your yard drain better.
25. Consider using a laser level or other type of long-range tool in order to lay out your garden beds evenly.

Big Pine Landscaping provides high-quality lawn care in Utah.