# Heat/drought stress Bermuda



## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Bermuda in central AL

I know it's probably from the no rain and not enough irrigation; but is there something to limit the effects of drought? I've got some humic acid on the way. Is hydretain the only other real option?


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

Cover with light layer peat moss. I did that last year in my front yard. Helps retain water.


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## reidgarner (Jun 18, 2018)

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=208&start=240

Applying a wetting agent will help keep moisture in the soil longer and more evenly. It's not a substitute for irrigating, but will help alleviate some of those hotspots.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

reidgarner said:


> https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=208&start=240
> 
> Applying a wetting agent will help keep moisture in the soil longer and more evenly. It's not a substitute for irrigating, but will help alleviate some of those hotspots.


Wow i could do a lot of watering for $200 😂


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Austinite said:


> Cover with light layer peat moss. I did that last year in my front yard. Helps retain water.


Thank you I'll have to try that. It's been about 7 days since rain and not expected rain until 6/3 if we're lucky. Irrigation water just isn't as good


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## reidgarner (Jun 18, 2018)

@Jordan90 a lot of guys on here use Penterra which is a lower cost to entry ($20-25 for a small container).


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

reidgarner said:


> @Jordan90 a lot of guys on here use Penterra which is a lower cost to entry ($20-25 for a small container).


Having a tough time finding that online anywhere?


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Jordan90 said:


> reidgarner said:
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> > Jordan90 a lot of guys on here use Penterra which is a lower cost to entry ($20-25 for a small container).
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Geoponics is the manufacturer. I used it to pull water away from low spits on my lawn. I now use tournament ready to help the roots retain moisture better. Make sure you find the right wetting agent for your situation.


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

http://www.geoponicscorp.com/soil-conditioners/surfactants/penterra/


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Austinite said:


> http://www.geoponicscorp.com/soil-conditioners/surfactants/penterra/


Thank you!!!


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Austinite said:


> http://www.geoponicscorp.com/soil-conditioners/surfactants/penterra/


Has anyone with Alabama/Tennessee orange clay tried Pen Terra? Our soil holds moisture fairly well until the top layer becomes concrete. But if you dig down 3-4" it's still fairly moist. Does penterra help keep the top 3" moist?


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

I used it on Black Texas clay. It worked well, but didn't fully resolve LDS, localized dry spot. So unless you have a severe case like I did, it should work out great. A better, but more expensive product is Underhill Tournament Ready. But I would try Penterra first, it's cost effective and should do the trick.

1.45 oz. per 1000 sq ft for Penterra.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

TN Hawkeye said:


> Austinite said:
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> > http://www.geoponicscorp.com/soil-conditioners/surfactants/penterra/
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I'll let you know!


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Jordan90 said:


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I'll be interested to see how it goes. I think our soil is a blessing and a curse. I don't know of many places that you don't need to use concrete to set a post. We just wet and tamp the clay back in the hole and she's set. But woe be the day that the lawn dries and turns to concrete. The next light drizzle and you have this from the high parts to the low parts:


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Afternoon syringing (running the heads 2-3 passes - wetting canopy; not soil) to cool off the canopy in the heat of the day can be a great help. Do it 2-3 times in the afternoon and you should notice a difference. I've ran no less than 700k gallons this week from 12-4pm on my fairways/ tees/ greens etc.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Afternoon syringing (running the heads 2-3 passes - wetting canopy; not soil) to cool off the canopy in the heat of the day can be a great help. Do it 2-3 times in the afternoon and you should notice a difference. I've ran no less than 700k gallons this week from 12-4pm on my fairways/ tees/ greens etc.


Gonna need a well


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Jordan90 said:


> viva_oldtrafford said:
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> > Afternoon syringing (running the heads 2-3 passes - wetting canopy; not soil) to cool off the canopy in the heat of the day can be a great help. Do it 2-3 times in the afternoon and you should notice a difference. I've ran no less than 700k gallons this week from 12-4pm on my fairways/ tees/ greens etc.
> ...


Do you have a large area? I'm thinking less than 2-3 rotations of the rotors...not much.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Jordan90 said:
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Less than 8000k total


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Jordan90 said:


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Gotcha.

Any idea as to how long and how many gallons would be required just to have the stations run for 2-3 rotations? It shouldn't take too long / much.

Just an idea that would help during extreme heat.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Jordan90 said:
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2-3
Rotations wouldn't take but 2-3 minutes I wouldn't think? Most heads only go maybe 120 degrees so could run it 4 minutes 3 times a. Day during heat. It won't not rain forever so could do it only during 5+ days of no rain? Would be easier if I got the add on for my rainbird to get WiFi capable.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

Jordan90 said:


> viva_oldtrafford said:
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Wifi would definitely help out. You wouldn't need to syringe everyday, but 3-4 times a week would surely help during those hi temps. Have you tried increasing your run times yet?

Each zone for 2-3 minutes should give you good results without spiking the water bill too much. If you can lower canopy temps by 10 degrees for even just a few minutes, you can help the plant make it through the day.

I'm in central florida and we've been touching 95/96 almost all week. I can't irrigate all 180 acres every night, so i have to run heads throughout the day. It's been very helpful to spin the rotors for 2-3 rotations.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> Jordan90 said:
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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Worse now lol. I put out manual sprinkler for 45 Thursday, ran more Saturday and ran again yesterday and here I am. Must need a lot more water than I think I'm giving it


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## Keepin It Reel (Feb 20, 2019)

I'm here in Upstate SC and we are experiencing the same drought. It's been atleast 2 weeks since it's rained and none in the forecast for at least another week that I can see. What's odd is my backyard that receives the hot afternoon sun is thicker and greener than my front yard that gets morning sun. It's the front and side yard that is struggling with this heat.

I'm currently watering 2 days/week at 20 minutes per zone using a manual sprinkler but I really don't know how many inches that's putting down. I need to set a few cups out to see because my lawn looks stressed like many of the photos here.

It's time for my next fertilizer application but it probably wouldn't be a good idea to push it with heavy N during a heat stress/drought.


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## hefegrass (Mar 20, 2019)

after using some catch cups and doing a little bit of calculating, i found out I am getting about .4 inches per hour in my front yard zone. This is with 4 rainbird rotating sprayers at each corner of the lawn and all of them reach the other sprinklers. So i found out that I have to water the front yard for 1.2 hours to put down a half inch. Even after adjusting my sprinkler program settings, I am still getting curled leaf blades in the middle of day in a really hot/sunny spot in the front lawn. This is the day after watering.. 
I think its very possible that you arent watering enough, i thought i was but i was off by quite a bit.


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## UFG8RMIKE (Apr 21, 2019)

I just added a 3rd watering day till we start getting some rain. The heat has been brutal. Also ordered to WiFi controller for the rainbird.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

I did a measure the other day and was getting between 1/3-1/2 per cycle twice a week. I bumped the times up about 5 minutes per rotor cycle. It's just crazy how some spots are dark green and doing well and some are dead and dusty like the desert. I want to cut the grass but I'm thinking with the no rain I don't want to stress it much more than it already is.

I'm going to put a manual sprinkler on the stuff in the picture tonight for probably 45 minutes and the sprinklers run again Thursday.


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## adgattoni (Oct 3, 2017)

I have found that wetting agents help in these scenarios. My neighbors' yards are all like this while mine seems to be getting along fairly evenly. Just gotta keep putting water on it any way you can.

Check this out:
https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=208&start=180#p130709


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## Keepin It Reel (Feb 20, 2019)

Are you guys holding off on your fertilizers during this drought?


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## ctrav (Aug 18, 2018)

Sorry to see the negative effects of the heat and no rain on this thread. I should be thankful for all the rain we have been getting in north Texas. Its a double edge sward as all the rain prevents me from cutting due to drainage on large parts of the property. So when I get around to cutting I have to adjust the HOC or break the 1/3 rule constantly...


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Its been at least two weeks and nothing better than 30% in next 10 days


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## Keepin It Reel (Feb 20, 2019)

Jordan90 said:


> Its been at least two weeks and nothing better than 30% in next 10 days


Same here and each day that passes pushes the next chance of rain out even further. Next Wednesday shows 40% chance but by Friday there will be 0% come Wednesday.


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## CorgiTurf (May 27, 2018)

Take your water hose and soak the wilting/ dry spots by hand. That's what they do on greens


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Just did by hand in the front yard. Ran manual sprinkler for a good while this evening in back. Curious if it makes any difference


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## Talental (Jun 29, 2018)

I am having the exact same problem with my Meyer zosyia.

I am in North Alabama where it has been 92+for about a week with no rain for the last 2 weeks. I made a separate thread on mine of you care to see my pics

I did what corgituff recommended and just used my garden hose over those spots. 
Will see what it looks like tomorrow.


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Jordan90 said:


> Worse now lol. I put out manual sprinkler for 45 Thursday, ran more Saturday and ran again yesterday and here I am. Must need a lot more water than I think I'm giving it


Does the sun travel parallel to your the back of your house? I'm wondering if it could be extreme heat from the sun reflecting off the windows?


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

Talental said:


> I am having the exact same problem with my Meyer zosyia.
> 
> I am in North Alabama where it has been 92+for about a week with no rain for the last 2 weeks. I made a separate thread on mine of you care to see my pics
> 
> ...


It's rough. I'm
Curious if what I did was enough. Hard to tell? Back seems to be the hardest hit but front isn't much better. My sod isn't a year old so I'm trying to baby it

I'm hoping we get rain because even .5" of rain water is better than 2" of sprinkler water.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

TN Hawkeye said:


> Jordan90 said:
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> > Worse now lol. I put out manual sprinkler for 45 Thursday, ran more Saturday and ran again yesterday and here I am. Must need a lot more water than I think I'm giving it
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Sun rises in my back yard and sets in the front. Majority of that dry area is in shade after around 3PM


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## TN Hawkeye (May 7, 2018)

Jordan90 said:


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Good to hear. It's difficult to tell exactly from the pics but that section looks to be the high point of the back yard. Maybe try some baby shampoo as a test to see if it helps the water soak in better. It wouldn't be a long term fix but If you notice a difference then one of the soil treatments mentioned before may be a good idea.


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## Jordan90 (Apr 7, 2019)

TN Hawkeye said:


> Jordan90 said:
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 I'm going to order some Penterra

I've well exceeded my lawn budget for the year between the mower and Carbon X and sand, etc

I'm about to get some Penterra and Sedgehammer and hope we get some rain.


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