Puna Drought

[macuu222]

With all this sunshine, heat and no rain.....my lawn has become brown and brittle. Even watering it every morning still hasn't helped. My question is ...Will my lawn that has been established for the past 10 years come back once the rains return? Will continuing to watering it be of any help now that its brown and brittle?

[JerryCarr]

Less frequent, but more thorough, waterings generally do more good than light daily sprinkling. An inch once per week is good for most turf grasses, but you may need more for the first week to catch up. If you use a lawn sprinkler, put a straight-sided pan out to measure the amount.

Whether or not it comes back depends on which type of grass you have and the severity of the drought stress. Some types of St. Augustine form matted roots that revive well even after moderate to severe drought. Some of our former and/or current Arizona resident posters can probably name drought resistant turf grasses. Drought tolerance isn't a frequently considered factor here in windward Hawaii for obvious reasons.

I have never fixated on the "perfect lawn" concept, but I do obsess on keeping my vegetables, ornamentals, and fruit trees watered. Our catchment tank is currently at about 60% capacity, and I am considering hauling water in my truck if we don't get rain soon. The immediate forecast is not too promising.

Good luck,
Jerry

[Hotzcatz]

If the lawn isn't mowed short, it will have more drought tolerance. If you look at the dry brown grasses that are growing wild, many times you will see there are green grasses growing under the brown grass.

The weather folks said it will be at least another week of no rain. I've been watering things for the past ten days and that isn't a normal thing at all.

[missydog1]

it sucks to have a huge garden and have to hose water. Here in Hilo I have one long section on drip irrigation but the rest is just me and the hose.

The worst is I have a lot of stuff in large pots not under roof that usually gets by on rain. Because it's so hot and sunny, my plants are losing moisture much faster than usual.

My lawn has gotten semi-brown before and it's come back fine. I don't know what kind it is. Your basic Hilo lawn grass that's been growing for half a century. But reading this made me anxious so I got out my little rotary sprinkler yesterday.

No rain for another week, that's distressing!
Good luck everyone!

[Les C]

Someone said to me last night that it was funny how people often complain about the amount of rain on this side, but we get into a week or two of no rain, and they become anxious. Kathy, this is not aimed at you, your comment just reminded me of this. I know, it's probably different folks concerned about the amount of rain vs. the lack of it.

[jdirgo]

I know, I was driving home this afternoon and it was overcast and my first thought was "oh, great, maybe we'll finally get some rain!"

John Dirgo, R, ABR, e-PRO
Island Trust Properties, LLC
808-987-9243 cell
http://www.hawaiirealproperty.com

[lquade]

well happy happy rainfall in the night! woke up in Mountain view to the end of my painting project. good WET rain anyone with rain amounts for last nite?

[Carolann R]

Maybe my new Papayas will survive if it keeps up! Yay - rain!

Carrie

[scuba_man7]

Here in the desert, we see a lot of tall fescue and tall fescue mixes in residences, and they hold up pretty well to drought.

Once the temperature gets above 110, all of the grass dries out even if you water it 3 times a day, so it all kinda browns up in July and August and then comes back in September.

We're bracing for a long, hot summer. This one is forecast to be brutal.

[Carolann R]

Where are you located Scuba Man?

Carrie