berrypickles – posted 19 August 2003 12:31
i have very dry soil (dirt) that no matter how much i water, the minute you break the surface, it’s totally dry underneath. (it’s more like powder) I would like to know if anyone knows of a way to correct this problem. I have tried manure, but that only helps as long as it is on top, i hasn’t done anything to correct the problem underneath.
Jims’ Turf – posted 19 August 2003 15:35
This stuff works great. I use it all the time. It needs to be applied about every two months. It may take more than one full application at first to get the product built up in the soil. Good info on their site below.
Dchall_San_Antonio – posted 21 August 2003 00:20
That’s a heckofan interesting concept. Have you used it?
If you’re not already watering deeply and infrequently, that will do more for you than anything else. In your case you will have to work your way up to it. The goal is to develop roots that can find their own water deep in the soil. From what you described you have a ways to go for that.
Start by watering for as long as it takes to get runoff and then stop. Don’t waste the water. Then let the grass go for as many days as it takes for the grass to look wilted in the afternoon. Don’t water yet, though. Check it again in the morning dew. If it has recovered, then still don’t water yet. Wait at least until the next day. When it looks wilty in the morning, then water.
This technique forces the roots to grow down into the slightly more moist soil looking for water. Then when you water the water should go at least as deep as the roots and hopefully deeper. Water again to runoff. If it takes an hour to get runoff, you’re doing pretty good. But don’t water again until you have wilty grass.
The next best thing you can do is set your mower all the way up as high as it goes. The extra shade on the soil will help keep the moisture in and keep the soil cooler. Cool soil retains moisture longer. And for biological reasons, tall grass retains water better than short grass.
The next best thing you can do is fertilizer regularly with organic fertilizer – not compost. Compost provides microbes but not good food. They need protein. I use ordinary corn meal at 10-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet, three times a year.