Let’s transform our dried-out lawns back to a lush, healthy green

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As we wait for late summer rains to turn our brown lawns green, we may be in for a surprise. Depending on the type of soil you have and the amount of moisture in your soil, the only green you may see is, unfortunately, weeds.

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Because of the length of our summer drought and the excessive heat, many grassroots may have simply died. It might be worthwhile, at this point, to carefully remove a few small clumps of grass and look for any white roots. If all you see are brown root masses, then chances are much of your grass has succumbed to this record-breaking, dry, hot summer weather. If you’re not sure how your lawn is faring, consistently water a few small spots for about a week to see if any sign of green grass appears.

For lawns that have survived, the big question now is how to get them back in shape. For some guidance on this issue, I spoke with Dave Wall of Premier Pacific Seeds in Langley. This company supplies a wide variety of seeds for playing fields, golf courses and turf farms, and provides the farming community with seeds for pastureland and animal grazing, as well as ground covers for berry crops. To keep current with the latest new grasses and their attributes, Wall regularly attends turf trials in Oregon.

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We’ve always known that the very best time to seed or overseed a lawn is in late August or early September when cool evenings and morning dews help stimulate seed germination. The warm daytime temperatures also aid in rapid growth. There’s only one caveat: we must still follow local watering restrictions.

Wall pointed out a significant issue that many folks are unaware of. The hot, dry weather has caused crop failures of many different types of grass seed, resulting in serious shortages and higher prices. One of our major sources of grass seed is the Willamette Valley in Oregon. Normally, because of this region’s ideally mild climate, growers have never needed to irrigate — that is until this year. Now, they’re suffering huge losses.

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Even the Peace River Valley in northern B.C., where a tremendous amount of fescue grass is grown, is experiencing a much-reduced crop this year. Comparable situations are also occurring in other seed-growing areas, like Idaho and Minnesota.

Wall says this shortage may last a few years, especially if similar weather patterns occur again in 2022. His advice is to buy your lawn seed as soon as possible if you want to seed or overseed your lawn.

Perhaps we all need to re-evaluate our lawn areas. A few inches of soil on top of hardpan or gravel is no longer a suitable medium for lawn grasses. A minimum of 12 to 18 inches of quality, well-draining soil or a sand/soil mix, where roots can grow deep and be far less water dependent, is what is needed for a healthy lawn. This will also aid soil microorganisms and beneficial insects.

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If improving your soil situation is not possible now, Wall recommends at least aerating your lawn before overseeding in order to give the seed more places to germinate. Also, spreading a one-quarter-inch layer of washed sand over the aerated area will fill those pockets with material that drains readily during late fall and winter rains.

Wall is adamant that the very best seed to use for overseeding is perennial rye grass. This seed creates a fine lawn that is incredibly resilient and, once established, is also quite drought tolerant. There are many varieties of perennial rye grasses, and all have different strengths. However, because of the existing shortages, Wall suggests: “Use any perennial rye grass you can find.” Overseeding at the rate of five to 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet is the ratio Wall recommends.

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If you can only find a seed blend, just make sure the mix has perennial rye grasses included. Today, many folks are also adding micro clover to their seed blends, and if you want to do this, Wall suggests adding about one pound per 3,000 sq. ft.

Depending on when you overseed and what the night temperatures and moisture levels are, germination at this time of year should take place in four to seven days. You will need to keep the moisture level constant during this period; so, work within your water restrictions and local weather forecasts.

We’re living in unusual times. Many things are changing from whatever ‘normal’ used to be. One thing, however, hasn’t changed: the value of our lawns can’t be overstated. From the production of oxygen and the sequestering of carbon to the cooling effect they create and the soil enhancement that benefits many microorganisms and helpful insects and worms, lawns are far more important than just an attractive green surround. Turf grasses also prevent erosion, reduce run-off from excessive rainfall and absorb pollution particles.

Over the next few weeks, let’s transform our dried-out brown lawns back to a lush, healthy green.