Your lawn: water or not?

By Toby Day - 08/15/2008

To water or not to water: Should people let their lawns go dormant?

There’s nothing more American than apple pie, Chevrolet, baseball and — lawns.

Lawns are a huge component of our landscape and contribute a large amount to the economy.

The last estimate I saw was that Ameri-cans spend more than $40 billion annually on lawn care and lawn-care products.

To keep a lawn green during the hot part of the summer takes at least one inch of water per week. For those who live in cities, the water is usually culinary water that costs money to be filtered and treated.

Lately, I have been approached by families debating whether to keep watering their lawns or to let them go dormant.

Our cool-season turf grasses have the ability, when not watered, to go dormant, which protects them from the heat and drought of our western summers.

You can recognize lawns that aren’t being watered because at this time of the year they are usually a dull brown. Personally, I like nicely maintained, lush, green lawns.

However, they are not for everybody. I admire people who are able to let lawns go.

I also understand those who think a dormant lawn will lower property values.

But remember — the lawn isn’t dead. Just like the native grasses that surround us, the lawns will green up again when the rains come and the temperatures drop a little.

— Toby Day is the Butte-Silver Bow Extension Agent specializing in horticulture and 4-H. He may be reached at the Butte-Silver Bow Extension office at 305 W. Mercury No. 302 in Butte, by phone at 723-0217, or by e-mail at tday@montana.edu.