During the summer time, it is easy for your lawn to become dried up and lose its green appearance. Thorough watering can prevent your lawn from going into dormancy and becoming a field of weeds.
The right amount and time of day is key:
Your lawn needs approximately 2” of water per week, net evaporation and transpiration. The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning because if you water later in the day, the sun will evaporate the water and your grass will stay dry. The best time to water your lawn would be early in the morning, lets say 4:00am.
Evenly distribute the water:
Sprinkler systems are most efficient at distributing water evenly because the sprinkler heads cover all areas of your lawn. If you do not have a sprinkler system and want to make sure that you are evenly distributing the water simply place cans (like empty tuna fish cans) around your lawn to collect water as you are applying it. When you are finished for the week, the cans should be filled up evenly in all parts of the lawn, once again they should be collecting a total of 2″ of water per week.
Avoid over watering your lawn:
Water is crucial yet too much can be harmful. If you receive heavy rain don’t continue to water you grass because too much water can create many problems for you and your lawn. For example, the more you water the lawn the faster your lawn will grow, which means you may have to mow twice per week. In addition, if your lawn is getting too much water it will make your grass and the plants around your grass prone to fungus. If your lawn is over watered, the roots may become shallow and pull out easily which can result in large missing patches of grass throughout your lawn.
As you can see, proper watering is important in maintaining a healthy lawn, one that is strong, well rooted, green and pest free.
