To maintain a healthy lawn, proper irrigation is essential. All lawns are different. There is no “cookie cutter” watering schedule that will work for all locations. Some lawns may need more water due to soil make up and how it holds water. Other lawns can easily be affected by overwatering.
Most of us think that lack of watering will damage a lawn but overwatering may be more harmful. Overwatering (which can easily happen in the spring) encourages disease, crabgrass and shallow roots, not to mention wasting an important resource and higher water bills.
Despite the convenience of automatic irrigation systems, lawns should not be watered on a set schedule throughout the whole season. The watering schedule should be adjusted based on the condition of the lawn and rainfall received. A rainfall of one inch or more means the irrigation system should be turned off for at least a week.
Avoid “addicting” your lawn to daily watering. Thoroughly watering two or three times a week is preferable. In drier periods, this usually translates into 30-45 minutes per zone, two or three times a week. However, certain lawns may require more water than this.
Water in the early morning if at all possible. The best time is between 5:00 AM and 8:00 AM. This avoids losing water to evaporation. Evening watering can also prevent evaporation loss, but it can promote disease in lawns prone to disease because the grass stays damp all night. Watering in the middle of a hot, sunny day has virtually no benefit for the lawn.
Proper placement of sprinklers or adjustment of sprinkler heads is also important. Significant amounts of water and money can be wasted when driveways, patios, decks and house siding receive frequent watering. Sprinkler heads should also be checked periodically.
Wildermann Landscaping L.L.C. can help you with this. We’ll help program your system and answer questions throughout the season.
