Late summer irrigation tips

Over the past two weeks, the cumlative toll of the summer heat is evident on the fescue lawns. The timely rains have ended and the humidity has decreased. Hot dry days with lower humidity have really dried out the soils. Due to the rising soil temperatures, I recommend you do not try to keep your lawn 100% green through the use of irrigation. It would take almost 2 inches of irrigation per week to keep your lawn looking like it did earlier in the summer. That much irrigation would also be likely to germinate nutsedge, crabgrass, spurge, and increase disease occurrence. I do recommend that you apply about an inch a week to keep grass alive, even if it is a little in the “tan” side. Once you get one soaking rain, the grass will Greenup and resume healthy growth. Fall will be here soon!