Watering tips to keep your lawn healthy
In recent years, watering has become an important topic. Periodic droughts have caused water shortages and restricted lawn watering in some areas. We therefore want to make sure all of our clients have some basic information to make the best use of our water.
Depending on your grass type, the average amount of water required for a healthy lawn is about 1" of water per week. If Mother Nature doesn't provide that much water, then it should be provided by you.
Generally it is better to water deeply and less often than to water often using less. The best way to judge how much is enough at any one time is to measure the amount being put on the lawn in one hour. Taking note if and when the water begins to runoff. For example, you've found that it takes 1 hour of running the sprinkler to get 1" of water on the lawn. But you've also noted that at about 35 minutes, puddles of water start running across the sidewalk and into the street. That's your maximum watering time. So in this example, the homeowner would want to run his sprinkler twice a week for about 30 minutes each time. That would give the homeowner the required 1" of water without wasting water down the drain.
In cases where soils are heavy and takes up water so slowly that runoff occurs before 10 minutes, water cycling is necessary. To cycle, irrigate until runoff just begins, turn the system off, and repeat the process in 30 minutes before the soil surface dries out. Several cycles per day may be necessary to apply the desired amount of water.
The best time to water is early morning when evaporation rates are lowest and water pressure is at its peak. Irrigating in the afternoon is wasteful because of higher evaporation rates, evening watering promotes prolonged damp conditions that may encourage disease development.
Irrigation requirements change from month to month and may not be needed at all if it has rained. Reset your sprinkler system to meet your lawn's changing irrigation needs.
