Keeping the lawn going through a drought!

PaulJM

Hello,
Just wanted to start a thread for people who will probably go through the same, and also, to help myself with suggestions from the forums.

Looks like us in the North West of England are heading towards drought and hose pipe bans.

I'm lucky enough to have a large garden, with loads of lawn - about 40 meters. As this is the first house I've had with any grass, I'm learning slowly, and have never been through a lack of water, in this house.

So the lawn has been pretty savaged with the cold winter, ice, snow, children etc, and although I've done everything I could - airiated it, raked it, fed it, weeded it, it looks patchy and horrible - the old couple that were here before would probably cry at the state of it!
I try to water it every week, but I'm on a water meter, so I'm always aware of the cost.
Anyone got any ideas as to what I do if the hosepipes are banned? A watering can will not suffice - there's just too much grass.
Or do I have to take the hit? Will it come back if it gets completely broken? I'm also thinking about how much a new lawn would cost!

There is a water collecting thing around the back of the garage (WTH are they called? Mind's gone blank!) but the guttering is completly FUBAR, and I wouldn't want to hammer new in - the garage is 100% asbestos.

Paul.

laurel7172

With a hosepipe ban, you'll have to take the hit, I'm afraid. But it won't be that bad-grass is very resilient. It can go all brown and crunchy and it will still usually grow back.

savingmummy

Yes with big lawn areas there really is nothing you can do tbh.
Once the damage has been done it will eventually return to a good state with lots of tlc on a regular basis.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4769371_maintain-green-lawns-during-drought.html

We are lucky we have a small garden - although i moan it was bigger all the time

Primrose

Lawns are surprisingly resilient. In previous droughts, hot summers and hosepipe bans our have gone completely brown and dead looking, but surprisingly, with a little rain they quickly green up again. With a big lawn there's little you can do to keep it green. Even the water in a water butt will be insufficient. But if you want to keep just a little patch near the house green, save all your grey water into a bucket outside the kitchen door and pour it on the lawn late in the evening when the evaporation rate is at its lowest. It won't make much of a difference but it might save a tiny part of your lawn from looking terrible. You'd be better off though, using this grey water to prevent any special plants or expensive shrubs that you've got from dying.

PaulJM

Primrose wrote: »

But if you want to keep just a little patch near the house green, save all your grey water into a bucket outside the kitchen door and pour it on the lawn late in the evening when the evaporation rate is at its lowest. It won't make much of a difference but it might save a tiny part of your lawn from looking terrible. You'd be better off though, using this grey water to prevent any special plants or expensive shrubs that you've got from dying.

Thanks - all the above is really good advice.
I'm just going to have to give it up for a bit - might just water a little bit with a can near the house like you say.
By grey water, do you mean washing up type stuff? I don't really have any - dishwasher...but I guess you could stick buckets under the drain pipes for the sinks, dishwasher and shower/bath. Does the soap/detergent not damage the plants?

My father in law, who never bothers with his lawn apart from cut it, has green, resilient looking grass. When you get close you realise it's mostly moss and cut down daisies - his reply? "It's all green stuff, innit?" I think I faff with it too much!

olly300

Lots of grass mixtures have things like clover in because they don't go brown as quickly in drought.

To be honest with all plants in the ground including grass you are better not watering them at all, or if you do so make sure you give them a good long prolonged water at the roots. Watering sparely just means the plants roots don't seek their own water in the ground.

PaulJM

olly300 wrote: »

To be honest with all plants in the ground including grass you are better not watering them at all, or if you do so make sure you give them a good long prolonged water at the roots. Watering sparely just means the plants roots don't seek their own water in the ground.

I've heard this before actually, especially with grass - you should either water the hell out of them in one go or not bother.

Mankysteve

Were about in the north west do live? My parents live in Manc. The grass has never been watered or fed. Just cut and weeded and if its especially lucky once in a while aerated with a garden fork. It still green and lush even when we were kids playing on it though the bad droughts we had a few years ago.

As other have said grass is very tough and will live though all-sorts.

Kay_Peel

I wouldn't dream of watering a lawn.

Lotus-eater

PaulJM wrote: »

My father in law, who never bothers with his lawn apart from cut it, has green, resilient looking grass. When you get close you realise it's mostly moss and cut down daisies - his reply? "It's all green stuff, innit?" I think I faff with it too much!

Exactly my philosophy

olly300 wrote: »

Lots of grass mixtures have things like clover in because they don't go brown as quickly in drought.

To be honest with all plants in the ground including grass you are better not watering them at all, or if you do so make sure you give them a good long prolonged water at the roots. Watering sparely just means the plants roots don't seek their own water in the ground.

Absolutely, either constant or limited watering makes for roots close to the surface and then when it's dry they suffer.
And watering enough, would use a ridiculous amount of water, the hose needs to be on for hours on a irrigation sprayer to properly soak the ground.

roddydogs

Sprinklers are banned anyway, arnt they?