[ Author’ s Note: In North Carolina, we experienced severe drought from early in the year until late July. This summer, our state climate office compared it to the drought of 2007, which cost the state ' s agriculture industry an estimated $ 573 million in damage. Thanks to late-July thunderstorms, there has been decent drought relief across the eastern half of the United States, including North Carolina.]

In many ways, this column is a " Part 2 " to my July Q & A,“ Drought Monitoring.” After spending months documenting turfgrass damage and decline due to dry weather, it feels good to share that managers should start seeing improvements. Given bermudagrass’ s remarkable drought tolerance, it typically begins recovering after a few soaking rains. Unfortunately, newly established 2026 fields that lacked irrigation— or faced watering restrictions— may not have fully survived.

The extent of the damage will dictate your recovery steps. The urgency of preparing fields for fall sports may also require a more aggressive approach to restore playing surfaces in a short timeframe. Since time is critical, hopefully you have already begun implementing these practices by the time you read this.

Fields with large bare or dead patches will require replanting. With limited time before fall sports begin, sodding may be the only viable, long-term solution. The primary challenge is coordinating funding, contractors, and sod delivery on short notice. If sodding isn ' t feasible, the remaining options are less ideal and serve mainly as temporary fixes.

By temporary I mean making the most of whatever cover remains. Depending on budget and timing, mowing down existing vegetation while trying to introduce new grass may be a last resort. Seeding an improved common bermudagrass or sprigging a quality hybrid bermudagrass can provide green coverage over time. If we experience a long, warm autumn, this approach may yield acceptable conditions for the season. However, if drought damage is severe and cool weather arrives early, the field could turn into a muddy mess.

Many turfgrass managers held back on fertilization during the drought. Coming out of dry conditions, however, turfgrass responds well to feeding and will reward you with steady growth. Warm temperatures, regular nitrogen applications, and natural rainfall are the ideal recipe for recovery. Because drought-damaged turfgrass cannot absorb nutrients efficiently until root systems recover, stick to lighter, more frequent fertilizer applications. Rather than applying a full pound of nitrogen in a single monthly application, split it into half-pound rates( or lower) and apply more frequently. Consider spot-treating heavily damaged areas with additional fertilizer alongside your blanket applications.

For weed control, use only products that will not suppress bermudagrass growth. If you are considering overseeding, ensure herbicide selections will not interfere with seed germination or require a lengthy interval before re-planting. Finally, green turf colorants can be a useful tool to mask thin or blemished areas as the season progresses.

If you have little to no bermudagrass cover by October, consider overseeding with ryegrass. You can adjust the ryegrass seeding rate downward if you have reasonable bermudagrass coverage and expect continued spread during a warm fall. Alternatively, some managers may choose to commit fully to a ryegrass field for the season and revisit permanent turf options in spring or early-summer 2027.

Grady Miller, Ph. D. Professor and Extension Turf Specialist North Carolina State University

Questions? Send them to Grady Miller at North Carolina State University, Box 7620, Raleigh, NC 27695 or e-mail grady _ miller @ ncsu. edu