“Rain, Rain Go Away” is a kids’ song every Iowa homeowner has been singing from Sioux City to Davenport during the monsoon season that was May.
Heavy rains, including some devastating thunderstorms complete with tornadoes, helped pull the state out of a drought. But the sheer mass of rain over a short time frame left many lawns soaked, shallow ponds and drowning in the precipitation.
Some parts of Eastern Iowa received as much as 10-plus inches of rain during the month (including some parts of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls metro area). Cedar Rapids received over 5.5 inches. Iowa City’s May total stood at a healthy six inches.
“Iowa was hit with multiple rounds of severe weather” in May, The Des Moines Register’s Kate Kealey reports.
And just like a drought, excessive precipitation can cause health issues for your lawn.
“Too much or too little moisture can cause problems for your lawn,” Iowa Public Radio’s Sumner Wallace notes.
To start, heavy rainfall has the power to wash away nutrients before your lawn can absorb them. When water saturates grass, it loses essential nutrients. The result is a weak and dull lawn.
Mother Nature’s irony? The one plant that thrives with abundant rain: weeds.
Just as caring for your lawn during a drought is a fine TLC art, so is caring for your lawn after a storm.
Here’s A Checklist of How to Care for your lawn during Heavy Rain Season.
The No Mow Rule
The Cardinal Rule of caring for your lawn after a storm: Don’t mow. Even if there is no standing water.
Your mower’s weight on wet ground can lead to soil compaction. This can result in deep ruts in soft turf.
The law to mow by: Wait until your lawn completely dries before mowing.
Clear Debris, STAT
Tuesday, May 21, 2024: An EF-4 Tornado wiped much of Greenville, Iowa off the map in seconds and left debris littered for miles. An intense storm will leave the same residue – thankfully to a lesser extent – on your lawn. Inspect all your trees and your full lawn for storm debris like branches and foliage. Remove it all before you think of mowing. Also remove anything else that can keep your lawn from fully drying.
For trapped moisture can make your lawn susceptible to lawn diseases like red thread, brown spots, fairy rings and others.
Avoid Foot Traffic
Your lawn should not be Grand Central Station after a heavy rain. Move any planned barbecues indoors and allow the lawn as much time as it needs to dry. Allowing your grass to dry on its own schedule will minimize soil compaction and prevent major damage to grass blades.
No Water or Fertilizer Needed
Remember, your lawn is drunk on high quality H2O. Don’t give it excess water or fertilizer during heavy rain weeks. Remember, it only needs 1-1.5 inches per week to thrive.
“After heavy rains, your grass should not be thirsty, so no need to water,” Golf.com’s Josh Sens writes.
Iowa’s heavy spring rains have rained out countless ballgames and barbecues, but they may just be a blessing in disguise for your lawn when the sun heats up its summer oven in Iowa come July.
