How About That Drought?

According to environmental experts, the United States is currently suffering through the worst drought conditions in 50 years. The lack of rain—combined with stifling, record-high temperatures—is cracking our soil, stunting our crops, and drying up lakes, ponds, and streams. Not only is the soil drying up, but so is everything that’s trying to grow in it.

Because of the early spring warm-up, farmers were able to plant more crops than usual. So at the beginning of the growing season forecasters predicted bountiful yields of corn and soybeans. But now, those forecasts have been dashed in exchange for a bleak outlook and higher prices.

So is there any relief in sight? Not exactly. The hot and dry pattern is expected to continue for the next few weeks. Click on the link below to see the Seasonal Drought Outlook map the National Weather Service issued last week:

http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/expert_assessment/sdo_summary.php

If this year’s drought has done a number on your lawn, give it a little TLC to recover. In the fall, apply a dry, organic fertilizer at half of the recommended rate, adding 1 pound of sugar and 1 pound of Epsom salts per bag (enough for 2,500 sq. ft.). Then overspray the turf with my Drought Recovery Tonic:

Mix 1 can of regular cola (not diet), 1 cup of baby shampoo, and 1 cup of ammonia in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer, and saturate the turf to the point of run-off every two weeks until the grass returns to normal.