With summer less than a month away, you may be concerned that droughts and the blistering heat may tarnish your lush grass. Your green lawn can certainly be difficult to maintain during the dog days of summer. Fortunately, there are some watering techniques you can employ to keep your grass looking fresh and healthy, even during the harshest of heatwaves. Let’s review some water irrigation tips to prevent lawn burnout this summer.
Know the Prime Time for Watering Your Lawn
Contrary to the belief of many homeowners, watering your lawn after sunset can cause harm. The excess moisture resting upon the grass surface overnight is an invitation for fungal disease, causing brown patches and sometimes mold growth. Instead, 10 a.m. is the perfect time to set your irrigation system to run, as the temperatures tend to be lower, allowing the water to soak into the soil. This conserves the ground moisture and saves you money by conserving water, as the water can reach the grassroots and avoid evaporation.
Aim for Deep Water Penetration to Prevent Lawn Burn Out
Most types of grass need an inch to an inch and a half of water per week. If it rains, check the weather report to determine how much rainfall you experienced in your area, and ensure you make up the difference throughout the week if it wasn’t enough. However, for newly seeded lawns, you’ll need to attentively water. New lawns sometimes need to be watered twice a day to maintain a half-inch of moist soil. It’s important to be persistent with this pattern for a few weeks until the lawn is established.
Assess Your Irrigation System
Perform an audit on your irrigation system to ensure it is working efficiently. Keep an eye out for leaks or breaks when conducting the assessment. Oftentimes, the landscaping company that installed the irrigation system can come to perform the audit for you, saving you time and frustration. They’ll be able to analyze the efficiency of all the zones and determine if the system requires repairs. It’s important this assessment takes place, as pooling water in areas of your lawn or lack of water distribution can kill your grass.
Using these water irrigation tips, you can prevent lawn burnout during the driest days this summer. These techniques are perfect for both green thumbs and the environmentally conscious and will ensure your lawn is ready to finally host gatherings once again. At Dolan Landscaping, we can take the stress out of lawn care with our landscape maintenance services. If you want to ensure your lawn has a fresh glow throughout summer, contact us today.