- Pick up debris<\/a><\/li>
- Clean up silt deposits<\/a><\/li>
- Soak up puddles<\/a><\/li>
- Aerate your lawn<\/a><\/li>
- Encourage grass growth<\/a><\/li>
- Fertilize<\/a><\/li>
- Look out for weeds<\/a><\/li> <\/ol> <\/li>
- FAQ<\/a><\/li> <\/ul>
![\"Flood](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/flood-damaged-lawn.jpg\")
zabdiel<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure> What does flood damage look like?<\/span><\/h2>
Flooding will impact your property differently, depending on the power of the storm, your property\u2019s slope, your landscape and hardscapes, and the grass type you have. Some flood-resistant grasses can survive several days or weeks of flooding, while others will suffer significant damage from lingering puddles. <\/p>
- Primary flooding damage: caused by the depth and temperature of the floodwaters. <\/li>
- Secondary flooding damage: caused by moss, disease, sediment buildup, and weed encroachment after the flood has passed. <\/li> <\/ul>
Floodwaters also can kill grass by suffocating it; the lack of oxygen can harm your grass, depending on the length of the flood. Just a couple of days with your lawn submerged in floodwaters can be enough to kill it, especially if the water temperatures are high. <\/p>
Lawns experiencing flood damage might have:<\/p>
- Lingering puddles<\/li>
- Patches of dead grass<\/li>
- More weeds <\/li>
- Brown or yellow grass blades<\/li> <\/ul>
How to tell if your grass is dead:<\/strong><\/p>
After a flood, you might be left wondering if your grass survived the storm. You\u2019ll need to be patient and wait several days to see if your lawn will recover. No new grass growth can be a sure sign your lawn has died. <\/p>
You also can determine if the turfgrass has died by looking closely at individual grass blades. Healthy grass blades should have a white crown, which is the area where the turfgrass shoots and the roots meet. If the crown is brown, that grass is dead. If you see new, green shoots popping up from the ground, your grass is making a triumphant comeback. <\/p>
Heavy rain can lead to lingering puddles and patches of disease-ridden or dead grass. But with proper lawn care, you can help heal your flooded lawn.<\/p>
How to help your lawn recover from flooding<\/span><\/h2>
![\"Garbage](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/garbage-can-5398348_1920_800.jpg\")
manfredrichter<\/a> | Pixabay<\/figcaption><\/figure> 1. Pick up debris<\/span><\/h3>
Once the storm has passed, grab your gloves and rain boots, it\u2019s time to risk getting a little muddy now for a healthy green lawn later. <\/p>
Depending on the ferocity of the storm, you might be dealing with large debris. Grab what you can, being careful to spot small debris like nails, glass, metal, and other sharp objects. <\/p>
These objects can damage and smother your lawn if left for too long. They are also hazardous to you, your pets, and your children, especially if you neglect to pick them up before your next mow. <\/p>
![\"Grass](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/dirty-grass2_800.jpg\")
Lawn Love<\/figcaption><\/figure> 2. Clean up silt deposits<\/span><\/h3>
After a flood, a layer of soil, sand, or silt can be left on top of your lawn. It might seem harmless because you think it will wash away after the next rainstorm. However, a layer of sediment left on your grass blades can be quite damaging. <\/p>
If the layer of soil or silt is thick, it could cover, suffocate, and kill your grass. <\/p>
How to remove sediment from grass:<\/strong><\/p>
- Step one: <\/strong>Wait a couple of days for the ground to dry slightly<\/li>
- Step two:<\/strong> Grab a shovel and\/or a powerful hose<\/li>
- Step three: <\/strong>Use the shovel to scoop and scrape away excess soil, silt, sand, and muck<\/li>
- Step four: <\/strong>Use a hose to rinse the remaining sediment from the turf<\/li> <\/ul>
![\"Pile](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/9920278163_50ba816e0e_c_800.jpg\")
Malcolm Manners<\/a> | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a> <\/figcaption><\/figure> 3. Soak up puddles<\/span><\/h3>
Get rid of standing water<\/a> on your lawn before it has the chance to damage your lawn. <\/p>
How to soak up puddles after a storm:<\/strong><\/p>
Sprinkle organic matter, like compost, on top of the puddles to soak up the water. Once each spot has dried, rake the compost into your lawn to make your lawn look nice and even while giving it a boost of nutrients. <\/p>
In addition to compost, you also can use: <\/p>
- Mulch<\/li>
- Topsoil<\/li>
- Animal manure<\/li>
- Peat<\/li> <\/ul>
![\"illustration](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/rsz_aeration.png\")
<\/figure> 4. Aerate your lawn<\/span><\/h3>
Flooding can lead to compacted soil<\/a>, but that\u2019s not the only reason you should aerate your lawn<\/a> after a flood. <\/p>
Lawn aeration<\/a> helps oxygen and nutrients flow through the soil, and can help break up layers of soil deposits left from the flood. If you live in an area with high flood risk, aim to aerate and dethatch your lawn every year or so. Aerating<\/a> ahead of the storm can help the water seep into the ground faster, preventing the damage that can be caused by standing water. <\/p>
Core aeration<\/a> is the best method for flood-prone lawns because larger plugs of soil are removed compared to spike aeration. <\/p>
When to aerate your lawn:<\/strong><\/p>
Wait until your lawn is still moist, but not so wet that it will cause a mess. To tell if your soil is ready to be aerated, try the \u201csqueeze test.\u201d <\/p>
Dig out a handful of soil and squeeze it. If it is dripping wet soil, it should be left to dry for a couple of days. If the soil is moist and crumbly, you can aerate your lawn.<\/p>
How to aerate your lawn:<\/strong><\/p>
- Step one:<\/strong> Locate and mark utility lines or sprinkler heads that might get hit while aerating<\/li>
- Step two:<\/strong> Use a manual core aerator to \u201cmow\u201d over your lawn twice, removing plugs of soil <\/li>
- Step three:<\/strong> Rake soil plugs into your lawn or allow them to decompose<\/li>
- Step four:<\/strong> Add soil amendments like compost and fertilizer<\/li>
- Step five:<\/strong> Overseed up to a month after aerating for best results<\/li> <\/ul>
![\"Spreading](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_shutterstock_1368090050-1.jpg\")
Shutterstock<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> 5. Encourage grass growth<\/span><\/h3>
Overseed or reseed?<\/strong><\/p>
Wait a couple of weeks after aerating to see what shape your lawn is in. If there are bare patches, go ahead and overseed<\/a> the thinning areas with grass seed. <\/p>
If the damage is extensive, meaning less than 40% of your lawn recovers from the flood, consider starting over from scratch with a new lawn. <\/p>
You can resod your lawn any time of year, but if you have cool-season grass, you\u2019ll need to wait until mid to late August to reseed<\/a>. Cool-season grasses don\u2019t establish well in the heat of summer. <\/p>
Water properly<\/strong><\/p>
Watering your lawn<\/a> might seem simple enough, but improper technique can lead to a pest and disease-ridden yard. <\/p>
- Water in the early morning hours between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m.<\/li>
- Water when your grass is showing signs of stress (dull color, curling blades, slow recovery from foot traffic)<\/li>
- Soak the soil 6 to 8 inches deep while watering to encourage deep root growth<\/li> <\/ul>
Mow regularly<\/strong><\/p>
Make sure you wait until the ground is dry before mowing. Mowing on wet grass<\/a> can lead to compacted soil and a muddy mess. <\/p>
Mow regularly<\/a> to stimulate grass growth, but let the grass grow long. Set your mower to the highest setting for a high cut to encourage your grass to grow strong, dense, and deep-rooted. Mow weekly or every other week, depending on your grass type and the time of year. <\/p>
Be sure to avoid mowing more than one third of the grass blade when you mow, and check that your mower has sharp blades. Scalping or cutting with jagged blades can further weaken an already damaged lawn. <\/p>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/rsz_pexels-michael-burrows-7125650.jpg\")
Michael Burrows<\/a> | Pexels<\/figcaption><\/figure> 6. Fertilize<\/span><\/h3>
Floods can wash away nutrients, especially nitrogen, from the soil. Silt deposits and excessive moisture can encourage weed growth. After the storm has passed and new grass shoots have started popping through the ground, fertilize your lawn<\/a> to give it a nutrient boost and keep pests, weeds, and disease at bay. <\/p>
- Get a soil test<\/a> after a storm to see how it affected your lawn\u2019s nutrient levels and pH. You can conduct a DIY soil test at home, but the best option is to send a soil sample to your local Cooperative Extension Office<\/a>. They can determine more precise information about your soil\u2019s health. <\/li> <\/ul>
- Apply nitrogen-based fertilizer<\/a> to your yard. Slow-release granular fertilizer is the ideal choice for your lawn\u2019s long-term health, but liquid fertilizer can work for an immediate boost of nutrients. <\/li> <\/ul>
- You also can use homemade fertilizers<\/a> and organic fertilizers like compost, blood meal, and corn gluten meal<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li> <\/ul>
![\"Weeds](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/weeds-closeup.png\")
\u041e\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0440 \u041a<\/a> | Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure> 7. Look out for weeds<\/span><\/h3>
Some lawn weeds might still pop through even after you nurse your lawn back to health. Weeds thrive in wet, compact soil, which is why your lawn is so susceptible to them after a storm. <\/p>
How you control weeds depends on the time of year and the type of weeds<\/a> you\u2019re dealing with. <\/p>
- Apply a pre-emergent herbicide<\/a> in mid-March to get ahead of weeds that pop up in the spring and summer, or apply pre-emergent in early- to mid-fall to prevent fall and winter weeds. Pre-emergent herbicide targets crabgrass, clover, dandelions, ragweed, bluegrass, prickly lettuce, foxtail, and chickweed. <\/li>
- Post-emergent herbicides<\/a> are best applied between early spring and late summer but work most effectively when air temperatures are below 85 degrees. Post-emergent herbicide works on weeds such as clover, crabgrass, bramble, thistle, nutsedge, dandelion, and chickweed. <\/li> <\/ul>
Don\u2019t apply herbicides if there\u2019s another storm on the horizon or your efforts will be washed away. <\/p>
Here are some other ways to prevent and eliminate common weeds:<\/p>
- Apply broadleaf weed herbicides<\/li>
- Weed by hand<\/li>
- Apply organic herbicides<\/li>
- Pour boiling water over the weeds<\/li>
- Spray weeds with a mixture<\/a> combining cheap vodka and dish soap<\/li> <\/ul>
FAQ about helping your lawn recover from flooding<\/span><\/h2>
What are some ways to prevent a flooded lawn?Extended periods of flooding can be expensive and exhausting to deal with. Get ahead of flooding by adjusting your lawn and landscape.\u00a0
What grass types are best for flood-prone areas?Grass types that can stand up to rainstorms and floods should have deep root systems and be hardy against excessive moisture. Flooded lawns are also prone to secondary damage, like fungal diseases and pest infestation, so the ideal grass should be durable against those, too.\u00a0
Why is my yard flooding?Lawn flooding is more common than you\u2019d think because it\u2019s not just caused by extreme weather events like hurricanes or tropical storms.\u00a0
Prepare ahead of the flood<\/h2>
Thanks to climate change, we are dealing with more frequent flooding in the United States. Flooding has cost the nation more than 75 billion dollars<\/a> in damages over the past three decades, and scientists are predicting that this is just the beginning. <\/p>
There\u2019s not much you can do in the wake of a natural disaster other than staying prepared. Be aware of your own risk: Check if you live in a flood zone, and stay tuned to your local weather channel to stay informed ahead of major weather events. <\/p>
In addition to staying informed, keep your lawn in tip-top shape and: <\/p>
- Level your lawn<\/a> to prevent ponding<\/li>
- Install drainage systems<\/li>
- Fill in bare areas with new turfgrass or deep-rooted plants<\/li>
- Strengthen new sod or new growth by practicing proper lawn care<\/li> <\/ul>
Avoid extensive flooding damage by having a healthy lawn in the first place. Reach out to a <\/em>local Lawn Love pro<\/em><\/a> to help with all your lawn care and landscaping needs ahead of the storm. <\/em><\/p>
Main photo credit: George Roger Gilbert<\/a> | Flicker | CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Water damage is no joke. Help your lawn recover from flooding before the damage gets out of hand, costing you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":10187,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","fifu_image_url":"","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[126],"tags":[147],"class_list":["post-10185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lawn-care-tips","tag-lawn-care"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/flooded-yard.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Sav Maive","author_link":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/author\/sav-maive\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10185\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Level your lawn<\/a> to prevent ponding<\/li>
- Post-emergent herbicides<\/a> are best applied between early spring and late summer but work most effectively when air temperatures are below 85 degrees. Post-emergent herbicide works on weeds such as clover, crabgrass, bramble, thistle, nutsedge, dandelion, and chickweed. <\/li> <\/ul>
- Apply a pre-emergent herbicide<\/a> in mid-March to get ahead of weeds that pop up in the spring and summer, or apply pre-emergent in early- to mid-fall to prevent fall and winter weeds. Pre-emergent herbicide targets crabgrass, clover, dandelions, ragweed, bluegrass, prickly lettuce, foxtail, and chickweed. <\/li>
- You also can use homemade fertilizers<\/a> and organic fertilizers like compost, blood meal, and corn gluten meal<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li> <\/ul>
- Apply nitrogen-based fertilizer<\/a> to your yard. Slow-release granular fertilizer is the ideal choice for your lawn\u2019s long-term health, but liquid fertilizer can work for an immediate boost of nutrients. <\/li> <\/ul>
- Get a soil test<\/a> after a storm to see how it affected your lawn\u2019s nutrient levels and pH. You can conduct a DIY soil test at home, but the best option is to send a soil sample to your local Cooperative Extension Office<\/a>. They can determine more precise information about your soil\u2019s health. <\/li> <\/ul>
- Step two:<\/strong> Use a manual core aerator to \u201cmow\u201d over your lawn twice, removing plugs of soil <\/li>
- Step one:<\/strong> Locate and mark utility lines or sprinkler heads that might get hit while aerating<\/li>
- Step two:<\/strong> Grab a shovel and\/or a powerful hose<\/li>
- Step one: <\/strong>Wait a couple of days for the ground to dry slightly<\/li>
- Clean up silt deposits<\/a><\/li>