How Central Texas lawns are weathering the longest dry spell of 2024
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After frequent rains in winter, spring and the first half of summer, the longest dry stretch of the year is here. KXAN Chief Meteorologist Nick Bannin asked a lawn professional how the grass is faring as we slowly cool off but continue a rain-free stretch.
KXAN Chief Meteorologist Nick Bannin: So give us a wrap up. What's the state of lawns here in Central Texas now that we're heading out of what was not a terrible summer, at least early in the summer, we had some rain, but now very dry beginning to fall.
J. Zambo, ABC Home and Commercial Services: Yeah, you're right. We actually didn't have that bad of a summer. We kind of tailed off with some good rain when it was necessary, through the beginning part of the summer, and then as August kind of creeped in, we started to dry out. Now here we are in October, and we've had a pretty good dry spell so far, but if you're following your guidelines on your water restrictions and getting the water in when you can, your lawn should still be looking pretty decent.
Bannin: Now it's sort of counterintuitive, this time of year, the temperatures are going down, which usually helps our lawns bounce back from a hot, dry summer, yet at the same time, we're not getting rain. Which is working the hardest right now? The lack of rain is is overpowering the the somewhat cooler temperatures?
Zambo: Well, yeah, for sure, not having water is definitely going to impact the color and the health of the turf, but having healthy soils is really important too. So making sure you get your compost out now here in the fall, that's definitely going to help hold any moisture that we do get and help build the soil biology, which is really important for roots.
Bannin: And aeration too?
Zambo: Absolutely, that's another they go hand in hand -- compost and aeration.
Bannin: Will lawns still go dormant even this sort of late in the season, if they don't get much rain?
Zambo: Yes, they're still going to go dormant. Dormancy is more temperature related. So when the soil temperatures get below around 78 degrees, the grass starts to shut down. Our warm season grasses, not cool season grasses. They may be hit and miss in town here, but for the most part, we're all warm season grasses, and they will go dormant.
Bannin: So what's happening to the grass when they don't get a lot of rain? Do they just temporarily die?
Zambo: They just kind of go to sleep a little early.
Bannin: But not technically dormant?
Zambo: Not technically dormant.
Bannin: Now, what do you recommend to homeowners who want to transition away from your typical grass to use less water at home, to conserve more? There's other options than just a lawn in the back yard.
Zambo: Absolutely. That's a great point you made. You know, being... responsible for the environment, knowing that water is a really critical resource, transitioning to something that's less demanding as far as that resource is certainly a direction I recommend people going. I think if you look at any of the arid states in the country, they've all kind of transitioned into that zero scape, the artificial turf, something more native plant related, just to be more conservative.