With the growing prevalence of drought during summer months in New England, it important to know how to keep your lawn healthy while still navigating within the law. During a drought, proper landscape maintenance becomes essential not only for keeping your property attractive, but also for conserving water and protecting the long-term health of your lawn, trees, shrubs, and garden beds.
Understand That Dormancy Is Natural
One of the most important things homeowners should understand is that brown grass does not necessarily mean dead grass. Most lawns throughout New Hampshire and Massachusetts are made up of cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue. During extended periods of heat and drought, these grasses naturally enter a dormant state to conserve energy and moisture.
Dormant lawns often turn brown and stop growing, but the roots and crowns of the plants remain alive. Once cooler temperatures and consistent rainfall return, healthy lawns typically recover without permanent damage. According to the University of New Hampshire Extension, allowing grass to go dormant during drought is often less harmful than overwatering or stressing the lawn through improper maintenance practices.
Water Only When Necessary
When outdoor watering restrictions are in place, always follow local regulations. Municipal water systems implement restrictions based on available water supplies, and conservation efforts help ensure resources remain available for essential uses.
If watering is permitted, avoid watering on a fixed schedule. Instead, monitor your lawn for signs of drought stress. Common indicators include grass blades folding lengthwise, a bluish-gray appearance, and footprints remaining visible after walking across the lawn.
When these signs appear, water deeply rather than frequently. Deep watering encourages roots to grow downward in search of moisture, creating a healthier and more drought-resistant lawn. Most experts recommend watering no more than one or two times per week, applying approximately one-half inch of water per session. Water should be applied slowly enough to prevent runoff and puddling.
Water Early in the Morning
Timing matters just as much as the amount of water used. The most efficient time to irrigate is early in the morning, ideally between 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM. Morning watering minimizes evaporation losses and allows grass blades to dry quickly after sunrise, reducing the likelihood of fungal diseases.
Avoid watering during the hottest part of the day, when much of the water may evaporate before reaching the root zone. If you have an irrigation system, consider installing a rain sensor or automatic shut-off device to prevent unnecessary watering during rain events.
Raise Your Mower Height
One of the simplest ways to improve drought tolerance is to mow your lawn higher. Taller grass develops deeper root systems, allowing plants to access moisture deeper in the soil profile. Longer grass blades also shade the soil surface, helping reduce evaporation and maintain cooler soil temperatures.
Both UNH Extension and the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs recommend raising mower height to approximately 2.5 to 3 inches during drought conditions. Keeping mower blades sharp is equally important, as clean cuts reduce stress and help grass recover more quickly.
Hold Off on Fertilizers and Herbicides
Many homeowners assume a stressed lawn needs additional fertilizer. In reality, applying nitrogen during a drought can often make matters worse. Nitrogen encourages new growth, which requires additional moisture and places more stress on already struggling grass. Instead, wait until early fall to fertilize when temperatures are cooler and soil moisture levels improve.
Similarly, herbicides should generally be avoided during drought conditions. Weeds and turfgrass both absorb herbicides less effectively when stressed, reducing product effectiveness while potentially causing additional damage to desirable plants.
Mulch Garden Beds and Landscape Plantings
Mulching is one of the most effective tools for conserving moisture throughout the landscape. A properly applied mulch layer helps reduce soil evaporation, moderate soil temperatures, suppress weed growth, and improve overall soil health.
Organic mulches such as shredded bark, pine bark, or wood chips can significantly reduce water loss while helping landscape plants survive extended dry periods.
Consider Drought-Tolerant Plantings
Proper landscape plantings can help your landscape survive droughts. If your property consistently struggles during dry summers, it may be worth incorporating more drought-resistant plant materials into your landscape.
Native perennials, ornamental grasses, groundcovers, and wildflower meadows often require significantly less supplemental irrigation once established. These plantings can provide seasonal color, support pollinators, and reduce long-term maintenance requirements while improving drought resilience. You can learn more about native plants on our blog How to Incorporate Native Plantings into Your Landscape Plantings.
When designing new planting beds, consider the varying sun exposure and moisture conditions throughout your property and select plants accordingly.
Wild Columbine Aquilegia canadensis. Image from Mass Audubon
Capture Rainwater When Possible
Rain barrels and cisterns provide an excellent way to supplement irrigation during dry periods. Capturing runoff from roofs allows homeowners to reuse water for gardens, flower beds, and container plantings without placing additional demand on municipal or well water supplies.
Even modest rainfall events can provide valuable water reserves during prolonged dry conditions.
Focus on Long-Term Landscape Health
The goal during a drought is not necessarily to maintain a perfectly green lawn. Instead, focus on helping your landscape survive the stress period and recover when normal rainfall returns.
By mowing higher, watering efficiently, reducing unnecessary chemical applications, and improving moisture retention through mulching and thoughtful plant selection, homeowners can protect their landscapes while conserving one of our most valuable natural resources.
Sources
Sources: University of New Hampshire Extension, “Helping Your Lawn Survive a Drought”; Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, “Outdoor Water Conservation During Drought Conditions.”
