Why does the grass dry up despite watering??

Why does the grass dry up despite watering??

Why does the grass dry up despite watering?? – the hidden traps in the courtyard

One of the greatest and most frustrating paradoxes, faced by summer garden owners is the sight of withering and yellowing ryegrass against the backdrop of a 24/7 irrigation system. Most people's logic is simple: "As soon as the grass dries up, so she doesn't have enough water". As a result, they increase the watering time of the programmer, but instead of getting better, the problem gets worse and the grass carpet starts to die before their eyes.

In professional landscape practice, yellow and dry patches on grass are very rarely due to sheer drought. Excessive and improper watering in the heat hides huge pitfalls, which literally destroy grass chim. Here are the main hidden causes of this problem and how to react properly.

Content

Fungal diseases: The nightmare of overwatering in the heat

When daytime temperatures exceed 30°C, and the nights stay warm (above 20°C), the combination with high humidity creates the perfect environment for deadly growth diseases of ryegrass. The most aggressive among them are Pythium (Pythium), Brown spotting (Rhizoctonia solani) and Dollar spot.

  • What's going on: These fungi attack the stem and root of the grass. The external symptom is the appearance of rapidly growing yellow or brown spots, which appear dry, but basically the grass is rotten, drools and plucks without any effort. Extra watering here acts like gasoline on the fire.
  • Rescue measure: Stop watering immediately for 2-3 days, to dry the ground. Spray the entire yard with a professional combination fungicide (for example Ortiva, Topsin M or Cuadris) evening after sunset.

Hydrophobic (impermeable) soil: Water does not reach the roots

If the soil under the grass is not aerated regularly and has a thick layer of felt (dried old grass), it acquires the so-called. hydrophobic properties - literally begins to repel water.

  • The paradox: Spreaders work abundantly, but the water does not soak down. It remains on the surface and is run off or evaporated by the sun, while at a depth of only 3-4 cm, where the roots are, the soil remains completely dry as powder.
  • How to check: Stick a knife or shovel into the dry spot immediately after watering and scoop out some soil. If the bottom is dry, the terrain is in urgent need of scarification and aeration.

Uneven coverage and clogged spray nozzles

Automatic irrigation systems require perfect geometrical adjustment. Each sprinkler must reach with its jet to the base of the next one.

  • If the pressure in the system has dropped or any nozzle is slightly blocked by fine sand or limestone, the watering radius decreases.
  • The result is the appearance of crescent-shaped dry patches. The system is watering, but the water just doesn't physically reach those particular areas of the yard.

Mowing too low during hot weather

Cutting the grass too low (under 3.5 – 4 cm) during the heat of July and August puts the ryegrass under enormous stress. Short leaves cannot shade the soil. The sun shines directly on the earth's surface, the temperature of the soil rises critically and the roots are literally boiled in the warm water from the watering. In the summer, raise the mowing height of the mower to at least 5 – 6 cm.

Frequently asked questions

1. When is the best time to water in summer?
Mandatory in the early morning hours - between 4:00 and 7:00 in the morning. Never water in the evening after sunset! Evening watering leaves the grass carpet wet throughout the night, which is the surest way to develop fungal diseases on ryegrass.

2. How often should the grass be watered in the heat??
It is better to water abundantly every other day, than a little each day. Abundant watering (about 15-20 liters per square meter) causing the water to go down deep into the soil, which stimulates grass roots to grow downward and become drought tolerant.

3. How to tell if a stain is from fungus or pure dryness?
Take a simple test: try to pull a tuft of grass from the middle of the patch with your hand. If the stalks break easily at the base and you feel a rotten smell - this is a fungus (watered down). If the grass is hard, tenacious, holds fast to the soil, but it is shriveled up - it is pure drought.

Conclusion

If your ryegrass dries up, even though you water regularly, stop and analyze the situation, before increasing the water. Check the overlap of the spreaders, check soil moisture depth and inspect for signs of fungal diseases on ryegrass. In landscape design, balance is everything - excessive moisture and the wrong watering time are equally detrimental to the grass carpet, as much as the worst summer drought.

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