Dormancy:
If you choose not to water, the grass will go dormant. This is a very natural process that helps the lawn protect itself from the heat. In dormancy, the grass will turn brown.
If you let the lawn go into dormancy, make sure that you:
- DO NOT MOW when the lawn is dormant or drought stressed.
- Minimize all traffic on the lawn during this time. No jumpy things, no kiddie pools, no slip and slides (in fact most of these things amplify the heat underneath them so it makes the lawn stress even more).
- Lawns in dormancy will still need at least 1/4 to ½ inch of water every 2-3 weeks to keep the crown of the plant alive and able to recover when conditions improve.
- When a lawn suffers drought, some areas may thin out, which is natural as the plants are all fighting for soil moisture. Typically when the rains return, most areas will recover depending on the severity of the conditions.
