Summer is in full swing, and it’s a scorcher!

It’s no secret that summer 2018 has been a hot one. Having gotten very little rain in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec this summer, we have had our fair share of challenges with dry conditions at our Tayside farm.

Why are dry conditions a challenge at the farm?

Our Less Water sod is true to its name. Because the roots are more developed in our mature crops, meaning that they have driven deep into the soil, they can access ground water more easily. The genetics of our Less Water plants further strengthen the immunity to the dry conditions. But while the mature plants are looking healthy and green, younger crops are progressing slower due to the extreme conditions. Furthermore, the excessively dry soil have caused much of our sod to become too tender to harvest. In fact, the soil is dry and powdery that almost all of it blows off the sod as we harvest it.

Less Water, drought tolerant sod, combined with irrigation is a combo that can’t be beat. Which is why Manderley are going to be putting in an irrigation system at our farm. Weather patterns are harder and harder to predict and having this irrigation system, to use only as required, will ensure we’re delivering you lush and durable sod all season long while it will also help protect our crops against drought and help us repair any winter damage quicker. Giving you sod that you can be proud of!

We expect to have the irrigation system in place in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, we continue to do everything we can to increase the sod-readiness of our dry fields. If you’re thinking about upgrading your lawn and laying down new sod, we encourage you all to push your project off until later in the summer or fall. This will ensure that you are receiving a top-quality product and will give your new lawn its best chance to thrive.