Water is an important issue for Idaho homeowners. Lawn and landscape irrigation can use up a significant amount of this natural resource. For new lawns, careful consideration to turfgrass selection in terms of drought-resistance must be made.
Buffalograss may not have been an acceptable grass for Idaho residents in previous years, it is now gaining serious acceptance as a viable alternative, even though in most parts of the state, it will remain dormant for over half the year. Giving up those extra months of greenery to be able to have a green grass during the warmer months, rather than a burnt and damaged lawn because of water shortages, may seem like a good trade-off.
Southern Idaho: Iron deficiency (iron chlorosis) is common in lawns of southern Idaho due to high soil pH levels. The primary symptom is yellowing of new growth. Inorganic iron salts can be applied yearly to established lawns because of the low iron content in the soil. Iron chelates are the most effective for a soil-applied material. Liquid applications of iron can be sprayed on the lawn with a fairly quick plant response, but generally repeated applications are required.
Northern Idaho: Sulfur is needed in most of northern Idaho. Be sure to include it in your fertilizer mix.
Recommended turfgrasses for Idaho:
Buffalograss (is a warm-season grass native to the western plains. It grows slowly and is dormant for up to 7 months of the year in Idaho)
Water is essential to turfgrass but too much of it can be harmful. Over watering enhances disease development, inhibits uptake of nutrients such as iron which causes iron chlorosis, and contributes to leaching of soluble fertilizer and lawn chemicals to groundwater, particularly in sandy soils.
These consequences happen because oxygen is only partially soluble in water and plant roots need some air-filled pores to insure that enough dissolved oxygen is maintained in the water film around the plant roots.
When excess water fills the soil pores, displacing air, the roots cannot absorb sufficient oxygen for normal growth and may die due to asphyxiation. Insufficient oxygen levels also can stunt root system development, making the plant more susceptible to moisture stress later in the season even though early season was excessively watered.
Insects common to Idaho turfgrasses:
Common lawn diseases
Promoting healthy growth and avoiding conditions that cause stress to your turfgrass is the best way to prevent a severe disease outbreak. Stressed lawns are an open invitation for a lawn disease to gain a foothold. Optimal maintenance practices are the best way of avoiding stressed turfgrass.
Even if a pathogen is present in the soil, infection will not occur unless the environmental conditions are conducive to disease development. Once turf diseases have become active, they can cause heavy damage if not treated properly. Here is a list of common diseases to Idoha lawns:
Professional lawn care associations: Northwest Turfgrass Association