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I'm hoping for some regional grass advice. Let me premise this by saying that I have no clue what type of grass I have I'm fairly sure it's green in the winter. I will say it's the thickest (as in diameter of each individual blade) grass I've ever seen, and when freshly mowed is like razor blades. So maybe a fescue?
We recently had the cable company bury a huge long wire in our yard which left a long line of now deceased grass for a few inches to either side. They also destroyed a section of the grass with their machinery, and nearby there were some areas with grass already missing. And then this latest dry spell led to the grass turning brown in certain areas. Sooo it's not looking so pretty.
We've never had to water or fertilize our grass before so I was hoping for advice on:
1/ what products have been successful for others to revive dead grass
2/ what to do/buy to fill grass-devoid areas
and
3/ what time/how long to water the grass when drought hits (we're not under any water restrictions)
It's probably just dormant, not dead. Our neighborhhod and yard looks like that too from the drought. It kills the top part of the grass, but doesn't kill the root system. It will come back next spring and you might overseed it a bit in the fall in the bald spots.
As for watering, I think the general recommendation is 30 miutes 3 times per week, but if it's going to be dry and hot like this all summer long, it's really a waste of water.
It's probably just dormant, not dead. Our neighborhhod and yard looks like that too from the drought. It kills the top part of the grass, but doesn't kill the root system. It will come back next spring and you might overseed it a bit in the fall in the bald spots.
As for watering, I thionk the general recommendation is 30 miutes 3 times per week, but if it's going to be dry and hot like this all summer long, it's really as waste of water.
and you can "paint" it - seriously. Golf courses do all the time when it's dry.
If you seed now, the birds will get really fat. Wait 'til fall.
we are not on water restrictions either, and tend to water first thing in the morning for about 20 minutes. Much of the grass in the area is fescue, so my guess is it will probably be that!
I am not a lawn person, and don't want to spend the time to do more than water it........so, we have scotts lawn service come every 3 months to take care of the weeds, etc
I have been extremely happy with them, it has made a great difference in the lawn. I think we pay 30 bucks per session.
I think the paint is a vegetable oil base. In Oregon in the early 90s we had a drought one summer (can you imagine a drought in rainy Oregon!). The vegetable oil based paint was huge w/ commercial lawns that year.
I just read somewhere that you should water longer (like an hour+) fewer times per week (usually once). If you water for more frequently and for shorter times, apparently the roots don't grow down very far, as they don't have to (more water is coming...). If you water heavily once a week, the roots grow down further, and can then withstand greater drought conditions. Oh, and do it before the sun comes up (or as close to that as possible) so that the water actually gets absorbed by the soil and does not evaporate.
We don't water ours at all, and it does fine. It's not even brown yet. It might get brown if the drought continues, but it won't die. I cannot fathom painting my grass...that is completely ridiculous!!
Indigoblue, what type of lawn do you want?? As silly as it sounds, this is an important question before we go any farther. Do you want a really nice lawn? If you do then you are going to have to work harder at it, but by all means it can be done. If you just want grass there is not as much work or money needed.
Indigoblue, what type of lawn do you want?? As silly as it sounds, this is an important question before we go any farther. Do you want a really nice lawn? If you do then you are going to have to work harder at it, but by all means it can be done. If you just want grass there is not as much work or money needed.
That's a good question. I guess I would ideally like something between how it is now and a golf course I wouldn't invest a TON of $$$ in it, or do anything that involved being awake before the sunrise (can you get timers for generic sprinklers?). I definitely don't want to go to the extent of an irrigation system. I was hoping there might be something I could sprinkle on the grass to help it along. Is it too late to put grass fertilizer down? Or what about that hay I see some people have on their grass? Or that neon green stuff that looks like a big mat?
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I'm fairly sure it's green in the winter. I will say it's the thickest (as in diameter of each individual blade) grass I've ever seen, and when freshly mowed is like razor blades. So maybe a fescue? 
I wouldn't invest a TON of $$$ in it, or do anything that involved being awake before the sunrise (can you get timers for generic sprinklers?). I definitely don't want to go to the extent of an irrigation system. I was hoping there might be something I could sprinkle on the grass to help it along. Is it too late to put grass fertilizer down? Or what about that hay I see some people have on their grass? Or that neon green stuff that looks like a big mat?
