Dry June and Stormy July Impact Upper Cumberland Lawns & Gardens

Lawns and gardens across the Upper Cumberland continue to combat drought periods and flash flooding.

UT Extension Agent Jason Garrett says that extreme wet and extreme dry spells can have negative effects on grass and crops.

“Here in Livingston, before the rain, lawns were basically burnt plum up,” Garrett says. “But when we get too much rain, that’s when you start seeing diseases like fungus and root rot set in.”

Garrett says that gardens are more affected by heavy rains, while lawns are more vulnerable to drought conditions.

“Most individuals will water their garden when it’s dry,” said Garrett, “but when we get too much rain, it can be just as bad as a drought.”

Just like garden crops, grass has a seasonal growing pattern that can be affected by extreme weather.

“The lawns that are greening up aren’t primarily Fescue,” which Garrett explains is the common form of grass in this area. “It’s warm-season grasses such as Bermuda or weeds like crabgrass.”

There are ways to combat the negative effects of drought and heavy rainfall. Garrett says the key is to be prepared.

“You want to over-seed your lawn in the fall, do a soil test, then start a fertilizer program in the spring,” Garrett recommends. “For a garden, I like to mound it up where it can drain.”

Over the month of July, there were at least four days between each rainfall, one of which totaled almost two and a half inches.