How do you water your lawn? Sprinklers are less expensive but must be moved to get even coverage. Use one that sprays low to the ground. Sprinkler systems which can run on a timer are the most efficient way to water your lawn.You should only use an irrigation system and sprinklers as a supplement to rain.
How often should you water? Keep up with rainfall. Of course, don't water the lawn if rain is expected. Eliminate water waste. Watering usage usually doubles during the summer and is often unnecessary. A sprinkler uses approximately 1000 liters of water per hour. Use a rain gauge; you should try to have 1” of water per week to maintain a green color and proper growth. Water should be applied deep and infrequently to simulate the way rain falls naturally. Be sure to water deep enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots. Some people think you must water every day, but in fact, watering once or twice per week is best. Be sure to water deep enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots. Long intervals between watering actually will encourage the thirsty grass to seek water by developing strong, deep root systems. This will increase drought tolerance. Conversely, frequent watering will result in a shallow root system unable to cope with summer heat and it will encourage weeds. Newly seeded and newly sodded lawns that have not yet set roots into the soil, however, are the exception to this rule, as the surface needs to stay moist. Another exception is when summer patch disease is a problem. Fertilizers or pesticides should be applied prior to rainfall. Raise the mowing deck. During very dry weather you must not cut the grass too short! Blades should be about 2 1/2" or higher. Also, don’t apply nitrogen during the heat. In extremely hot weather of summer you may let the lawn go dormant. After the grass has turned completely brown, however, don’t water it enough to make it turn green again. This breaks its dormancy and drains the lawn’s food supply, which in turn causes trauma.
When is the best time to water? The ideal time to water the grass is in the hours between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM while grass is usually wet with dew. If this can't be done, water as early in the day as possible. Watering in the evening is okay as a last resort, but this can lead to conditions favorable for disease. It is acceptable, even best to water during late afternoon or early evening if the temperature is exceptionally hot and the temperature does not go below 68 degrees at night. Watering in the middle of the day will cool the grass, but most of the water will quickly evaporate and not have a chance to be absorbed.
Following these guidelines you can have a beautiful pest-free and weed-free lawn with a healthy root system.
