In the final week of July 2006, California was seared to the
bone with record heat. More than a hundred people died during ten
consecutive days of triple-digit temperatures. In Fresno, temperatures
consistently rose above 110 degrees during the heat wave, killing
hundreds of cows a day, wiping out crops, and destroying neighborhood
lawns. If your prized lawn was one of thousands in Fresno that cooked
under relentless heat, what are you going to do now?
Unless you have grass that is completely burned down to bare earth,
take heart. Assess whether you're looking at a repair job, or a
complete lawn restoration. If you have brown splotches or pockets of
dirt, there's a good chance your lawn will come back to life. On the
other hand, Fresno has a consistently hot climate and if your lawn
turned completely brown during the heat wave, it may be a goner.
Quick Treatment Can Save Your Lawn
Check with your local
garden center first and find out which seed fares best in the wilting
Fresno summer. You may be mixing in a grass blend with your existing
lawn for best results. Get out the rake and remove what's left of the
dead areas. Get out the dead or dying roots. Prep the soil and mix in
top soils or a peat
moss blend. Moss helps your lawn retain water at
the roots.
If you're really lucky, a Fresno area lawn center
may have sod that matches your remaining lawn. If you have to re-seed,
don't bury the new seed in the ground. Sprinkle it in lightly, pack
down, and cover with starter fertilizer. Remember, if you use
fertilizer, keep the new grass (and remaining lawn) moist. Don't ever
flood new areas or greatly increase water until the seed sprouts.
Last step: Pour yourself a tall glass of iced tea and get out of the heat.
Gabby Hyman has created online strategies and written content for
Fortune 500 companies including eToys, GoTo.com, Siebel Systems,
Microsoft Encarta, Avaya, and Nissan UK.
