# KBG - Here comes the heat



## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

Where I live in Minnesota we are going into a couple of weeks of low to mid 90's.....and suspect we will see many days like this over the next few months.

I am a novice and trying to learn more after having my lawn sodded last August.

The lawn has been looking good - I did hit it with some applications of Urea this spring as well as the Urea last fall.

I have been watering making sure I water at least 3x week for 20+ minutes in my four zones.

Height wise I have been cutting at 3.5" and bagging it.

*Curious to know what I am doing wrong and/or right and how can I maintain the greenest lawn on the block till fall?*

This photo I took a few weeks ago on May 18th



Here is a photo of my side yard next to the neighbors last September


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## macattack (Nov 2, 2020)

That is some bizarre weather. I had to check TWC as we don't have it getting above 85 for the next two weeks. Look pretty gravy. Upper midwest heat dome i guess. I could use some rain here in MO.


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## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

I am also curious to know if *lawn masters* here use any products like Hydretain or Sea Kelp (Root Growth Simulants), etc?

For a lawn novice is it worth doing?


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## OnTheLawn (Jul 23, 2020)

The lawn getting through stressful periods is best addressed with a soil test. Knowing if there are any deficiencies there, especially in K, will help. That and following sound cultural practices that don't put undue stress on the grass. Keep the height up, water long and deep, and don't push too much nitrogen heading into the heat.

Did you have a soil test done?


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

The only trick I have to survive heat (and I get plenty in St. Louis) is water. Under irrigating will stress grass and lead to more issues. The problem with a lot of water is potential disease which is worsened by the heat. I set the irrigation to finish watering at ~7AM to minimize moisture on the turf. Product like Hydretain may help, but I never found them useful enough to warrant the cost and effort. Some members swear by them.


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## JerseyGreens (Aug 30, 2019)

+1 it comes down to water for the most part now. 
I have been using organics this season and I like them a lot. Kelp, humic, fulvic, iron, molasses, Phosphites - I'm a big believer now as my lawn is only getting better with heat.


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## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

I have not had a soil test done.

How is that best approached? I live in a rural area and to get anyone local is next to none.


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## jskierko (Sep 5, 2020)

Check the guide on soil testing. It is literally all DIY in terms of submitting a test. A plethora of information, but concise enough to get your ducks in a row relatively quickly.


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## MNLawnGuy1980 (May 10, 2019)

@northernlights536, I am over in Otsego and it is now showing a high of 101 for tomorrow. Pretty odd. What is even stranger is that looking at the extended forecast, we are looking at high 90's for a week straight, followed by high 80's for a week. I really don't plan to change much but we will see how it goes.

Reminds of the quote from the great philosopher, Mike Tyson! "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." My plan is not change up my watering, for now!


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## BH Green (Apr 9, 2020)

Over here in SE South Dakota we're getting the heat wave too.

This is my first summer with an established lawn so I'm learning how to handle this too. I'm going to try hydration to see how it works. I'm also using RGS, Air8, and Humic acid. I'm not applying anymore nitrogen for a while. I applied SOP a week ago because I was a little deficient. Summer can be a good time for organics and micros.

Our practices the previous fall and spring probably have more impact than any products we use though. That, and having a solid irrigation strategy and mowing practices through summer, which it seems you have.

Good luck @northernlights536!


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## Bean4Me (May 13, 2020)

Are any of you syringing in this early heat. I'm already getting some dry spots.


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## BH Green (Apr 9, 2020)

Bean4Me said:


> Are any of you syringing in this early heat. I'm already getting some dry spots.


I did yesterday afternoon with the hose end nozzle in the full sun part of my lawn. A light mist to cool it off, and leaves were dry again before sundown.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Syringing is something I did some research in the past. Most of the latest research shows that it is not effective. The cool down only last minutes (using flir cameras).


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## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

I have found wetting agents like Pentera do help but you will still need to be diligent with watering. On a 90 degree day plan on a morning watering and probably an afternoon "cool off" watering as well. Fungicides are a must. Azoxy and Prop aconozol will be your best friends. The guys that say 1" of water per week are probably TTTF guys which won't work for KB G or PRG.


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## Johnl445 (Feb 11, 2020)

Wolverine said:


> I have found wetting agents like Pentera do help but you will still need to be diligent with watering. On a 90 degree day plan on a morning watering and probably an afternoon "cool off" watering as well. Fungicides are a must. Azoxy and Prop aconozol will be your best friends. The guys that say 1" of water per week are probably TTTF guys which won't work for KB G or PRG.


How many inches of water per week do you guys recommend on Kentucky blue grass?


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## Bean4Me (May 13, 2020)

So instead of syringing would you suggest running the full watering cycle daily? My full sun sections are definitely getting crispy.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Read the ET and irrigation guide to understand what your soil can handle.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

Johnl445 said:


> Wolverine said:
> 
> 
> > I have found wetting agents like Pentera do help but you will still need to be diligent with watering. On a 90 degree day plan on a morning watering and probably an afternoon "cool off" watering as well. Fungicides are a must. Azoxy and Prop aconozol will be your best friends. The guys that say 1" of water per week are probably TTTF guys which won't work for KB G or PRG.
> ...


Irrigation should be based off loss. As noted above, read the irrigation guide. How much is lost depends on temperature. If it is 95+ it is around 0.3 inches or more per day. That ends up being 2 inches per week. At more normal temps, it is 1-1.5 inches per week.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

^ and the grass type has very little difference. Adding more nitrogen does increase the watering needs.


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## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

There's nothing like a good long soaking rain wishing for one once a week preferably at night if the gods are listening


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## bakler5 (Apr 28, 2021)

Also in MN, I have switched to watering every day since the heatwave, still seeing dry spots in the worst spots of the lawn. Just hoping it was healthy enough to bounce back afterward.


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## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

So where I live in SW Minnesota the heat wave continues looks like we will go into the high 80's starting next week.

I am noticing around my lawn edging where there is decorative rock/grasses the lawn grass has went all brown.

I am currently watering daily starting at 430 am and dosing it with about 20 minutes per zone.

Now I am wondering if I should be putting more down or just skipping a day and water longer per zone.

The main yard looks ok but the bright green is fading quickly.

I did order some Hydretain pellets but will not have those for about a week if my local Ace Hardware can fulfill the order.

I see a mention to fungicides - when is that needed?

Only other thing is I have two rabbits who dug in for I am assuming their babies.. I have not look too closely but they tore up a noticeable section in my front yard.


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## Bean4Me (May 13, 2020)

@northernlights536 I think the fungicide is more for prevention due to being constantly wet with daily watering. I wonder how much of an issue it actually is because my lawn is crispy dry within an hour of watering with the heat/sun blasting it all day.

I have largely kept to my every other day watering with some hand watering in a few key areas when I water the flowers/garden. Overall I'm very surprised by how well the lawn is doing with this heat.


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## jeffjunstrom (Aug 12, 2019)

M32075 said:


> There's nothing like a good long soaking rain wishing for one once a week preferably at night if the gods are listening


Similarly, is there anything more frustrating than seeing an entire week's forecast of rain, getting irrationally excited, and then only getting 0.1" cumulatively? Western PA was *supposed* to get hammered with rain this week, and I don't think we got more than a light mist for ten minutes once.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

You should not need to water daily. It won't really hurt, but will increase disease pressure which is already increased from the temperatures.

I let the Rachio calculate when to water. For some perspective, at 85+, I need to water every 3-4 days. if it gets to 90+, I may need to water every other day. If it is 100+ I might go to daily watering.


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## Bean4Me (May 13, 2020)

@bernstem tell me more about how the Rachio works. I've been interested in switching to a WiFi controller.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

Bean4Me said:


> @bernstem tell me more about how the Rachio works. I've been interested in switching to a WiFi controller.


The rachio uses weather station data to calculate water losses. It then irrigates to replace losses based on grass and soil type. If it is hotter, it will water more often. You can access the controller from your phone or computer. You can also use it like a traditional irrigation controller and just tell it when and how much to water.


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## BrainBailey (Nov 20, 2019)

^+1 but make sure you take the time to calibrate your controller. Love my Rachio now, but fought with it constantly until I really tuned it properly. Definitely keeps me from over watering.


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## Fusion2002 (Jul 30, 2018)

Also in MN, my Rachio has been running every day, I use the flex daily mode, and under normal temperatures it waters every 3-4 days. The lawn is barely holding color under these temps. A lot of neighbors are starting to go dormant, or have pretty severe silvery dry patches.


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## Lawndress (Jul 9, 2020)

Johnl445 said:


> Wolverine said:
> 
> 
> > I have found wetting agents like Pentera do help but you will still need to be diligent with watering. On a 90 degree day plan on a morning watering and probably an afternoon "cool off" watering as well. Fungicides are a must. Azoxy and Prop aconozol will be your best friends. The guys that say 1" of water per week are probably TTTF guys which won't work for KB G or PRG.
> ...


I believe that for sensitive cool season grasses (and correct me if I'm wrong), it's as important to syringe to control the max temp of the soil and grass as it is to also get down enough water to make the grass happy. I haven't actually had any experience myself actually keeping the backyard green, so I can't say. :mrgreen:


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## GreenMountainLawn (Jul 23, 2019)

Fusion2002 said:


> Also in MN, my Rachio has been running every day, I use the flex daily mode, and under normal temperatures it waters every 3-4 days. The lawn is barely holding color under these temps. A lot of neighbors are starting to go dormant, or have pretty severe silvery dry patches.


I would think without irrigation almost every lawn would be full on brown with the temps and lack of rain you guys have had?

I wonder what the percentage of people on this forum have irrigation? Seems high from everyone's posts which makes sense givens the nature of the forum..lol.. Full in ground setup is unheard in VT. I've literally never seen one in a residential setup ever. I'm sure there are some one off's somewhere though.


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## LawnSolo (Jul 17, 2018)

I can't say enough about the power of running the zones twice to avoid water run off.

The idea is to split the time you would normally run per each zone in two. So I need about 32 minutes per zone to get .5" of water. So I run the first pass for 16 minutes then when all the zones are done, I go and start the zones again.

The idea is to saturate the ground with the first pass and let the water soften the soil then the second cycle will actually irrigate deeper to the roots.

I started doing this last year and it's a game changer for me.

Special thanks to GCI Pete for his advice 

I just took this picture and as you can see. My lawn looks pretty happy comparing to my neighbors uphill.


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## CoopyHarry (Sep 26, 2020)

@LawnSolo

Good tip I'm going to try that thanks !


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## LawnSolo (Jul 17, 2018)

CoopyHarry said:


> @LawnSolo
> 
> Good tip I'm going to try that thanks !


Honestly once you see the results, you will be regretting not doing it before 

Here is Pete's video explaining the reasoning behind double/split irrigation: @7:45 he starts talking about it


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## Ngilbe36 (Jul 23, 2020)

GreenMountainLawn said:


> Fusion2002 said:
> 
> 
> > Also in MN, my Rachio has been running every day, I use the flex daily mode, and under normal temperatures it waters every 3-4 days. The lawn is barely holding color under these temps. A lot of neighbors are starting to go dormant, or have pretty severe silvery dry patches.
> ...


I grew up in VT and I agree its pretty rare. Not unheard of though. My dad has it.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

A lot of the irrigation controllers have a feature to do this automatically. In the rachio it is called Smart Cycle in the schedule settings.

Water infiltration rates vary and can be very slow. I've seen publications with a rate of 0.1in/hr. The more clay content and the dryer it is, the worst it is going to be.


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## CoopyHarry (Sep 26, 2020)

@g-man

I have a rainbird esp-tm2 and I can just make multiple schedules half time for a and other half for b

Worth a shot I suppose based off @LawnSolo


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

You may need daily watering in very high temps, but most likely you only need every other day. In 100 degree weather, the heat itself will cause stress and look like drought stress. You want to look again in the evening or morning to get a better feel for whether the grass needs water.

The rachio default settings have a relatively shallow root depth. In a well maintained lawn where attention has been applied to soil improvment, you can often increase the Rachio default root depth a bit. Root depth will also vary based on soil type. Roots get really long in sandy soil, but silty loams will have much shallower roots. Ideally, you would pull a core and use that to determine root depth.

The rachio has a generic cycle and soak that g-man referenced. If you want to, you can alternativly set it to whatever you want in the setup menus.

In 100 degree weather, I think there is some benefit to a ~2PM short irrigation cycle of 10-15 minutes, but that is just my opinion.


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## Green (Dec 24, 2017)

GreenMountainLawn said:


> Full in ground setup is unheard in VT. I've literally never seen one in a residential setup ever. I'm sure there are some one off's somewhere though.


Used to be that way in CT/RI as well. Now, probably at least 15-25% penetration in many middle class neighborhoods where people care about their yard. My immediate neighborhood has over 40% penetration currently. (Not all of those homes have the entire lawn area irrigated, and most do not have irrigated beds, but still...that is a lot.) Ironically, within the handful of people who don't water at all, or water less often than many (but still have good lawns in some cases) are a few landscapers/LCOs.

Same with air conditioning. It has gotten more common.

A lot of the irrigation where I live is on commercial properties, though. Probably moreso than residential. And of course athletic fields...goes without saying, right?

The past few years, Burlington, VT, has had quite a few days over 90, including some days over 95. Ten years ago, I was at a wedding there held in a barn toward the end of July. It was hot and humid, to say the least. At least high 80s in the afternoon, and one of those nights that stayed warm. I was saturated (but I was also working, as a favor for the couple, and did not have a chance to really ever relax).


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## rock42 (May 16, 2020)

Looks like we might finally get some rain and cooler temps here in MN. No in ground for me so I've been setting up above ground every 5-7 days and hand spraying patches that need it.

Front is a fall 2020 kbg reno that I had planned on feeding plenty of N to this spring through mid June…but heat wave and drought the past few weeks prevented that. Think I should get some Milo down in the next week or so if it rains and cools down? Or just hold off until fall at this point?


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## Bean4Me (May 13, 2020)

@rock42 i'd feed it a little if you can keep up on watering.


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## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

Well I got my soil report back... not sure how to entirely read and understand it.....


In regards to watering my town is now on water restrictions... I can only water on even days... which should be fine.. but I can see my green yard going away due to these past few weeks of extreme heat..... Still looks better than any other lawn on the block...


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## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

did a google for the later suggestion ---

Lawnbox Grass Genie 10-0-6 100% Organic Spring Grass Fertilizer 16 lb Bag Covers 2,500 sq ft

Its seems expensive but would this work and if I do put this down and recommended what could I expect to see in my yard, especially during the hot summer months, if anything?

Any risk of damage as long as I follow the instructions? Any yellowing or burning?


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## northernlights536 (Aug 3, 2020)

The nitrogen is low, I have not put any down for about a month.


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