Watering your lawn can often feel like a guessing game. How much is too much? Does it matter when you water? Should you care that the sprinkler is hitting the driveway? Stop guessing and brush up your technique with this easy checklist.
1. Check Your Timing
Timing your irrigation is a balancing act. If you water your lawn at night, excess moisture will sit on your grass and could contribute to disease. If you water in the afternoon, you’ll lose too much moisture to evaporation. Early morning is the ideal time to water. The blades will dry as the sun rises, but the ground will have a chance to soak up water before it gets too hot.
2. Check Your Schedule
Many homeowners fall into one of two categories. Either they obsessively drown their lawn daily, or they only drag out the sprinkler when their grass is already wilting. Get a handle on your schedule and stick to a once weekly watering. Periodic, deep waterings keeps your grass refreshed while encouraging deep roots for better drought and disease resistance.
3. Check Your Amount
Stick an empty glass in your yard and water your lawn as usual. How much water is in the glass at the end? One inch of water, once a week is ideal for most lawns. Quick-draining soils might appreciate a little more. Swampy soil might benefit from a little less.
4. Check Your Spread
Yes, it does matter that your sprinkler is hitting the driveway. Poor sprinkler placement leads to water waste, water-starved patches, and disease from swampy soil spots. All you need to check your setup is a set of matching glasses or empty tuna cans. Place them all in different areas of your lawn, run your sprinkler and compare the water levels. Adjust your sprinkler heads or hose sprinkler placement to fix imbalances.
Good irrigation methods save money, reduce water waste, improves drought resistance and discourage disease. Tweak your routine until you find a plan that keeps your grass in tip-top shape.
Get the Professionals!
Pair your expert watering techniques with some professional lawn care services and get the most out of your lawn! Contact Elements Lawn and Pest for all of your lawn care needs.