Water lawns deeply once or twice a week during drought

Lawns should be watered deeply once or twice a week during drought rather than lightly every day, ORF’s Burgenland service reports. Andreas Maly, head of a long-established garden nursery in Eisenstadt, recommends applying 10 to 20 litres of water per square metre, preferably in the morning.

Short watering sessions have little effect because the soil remains dry a few centimetres below the surface.

Lawns that are not watered at all during drought should be assessed according to their age. Older lawns with roots that have grown deeper are less vulnerable and reach a critical point later. Young lawns that have been regularly supplied with water reach that point more quickly because their roots have not yet extended deep into the soil and they have fewer water reserves.

A well-rooted lawn can withstand several weeks with very little watering. To check whether a completely brown lawn is still alive, pull it by the grass. If it can be pulled out by the blades, it has died.

Maly advises watering responsibly as water reserves decline. Some lawn varieties require less water. He also recommends setting the mower height to five or six centimetres in summer, which helps the soil retain moisture and saves water when irrigation is necessary.