August Lawn Care Tips
Most lawns require up to two inches of water each week during July and August. A well maintained lawn is the best defense against weeds and potential insect damage.
Targeted watering of drought stressed zones in the lawn, using a garden hose sprinkler, will provide moisture, in drier spots, without over-watering areas in the lawn already receiving sufficient irrigation. This special watering should continue until changes can be made to the sprinkler system to provide a more even water coverage. It is essential to irrigate the entire lawn, on a consistent basis, to a depth of 8 inches, allowing the soil to slightly dry between irrigation cycles.
Customers frequently ask, “how often, and for how many minutes, should I water my lawn?” This is an excellent question, but one not easily answered without knowing the specifics of your lawn. There are, however, several simple rules and techniques that can be followed to develop an effective lawn irrigation plan. First, irrigate the lawn sufficiently long to penetrate the soil to a depth of 8 inches. The length of time required to accomplish this will vary from lawn to lawn, and between the various stations of your sprinkler system.
While there are many factors affecting the length of time each station should be irrigated, measuring the actual depth of water penetration is quite simple. To do so, water the lawn through a normal irrigation cycle and then wait approximately 30 minutes to allow the water to soak into the soil. Then, using an 8 inch screwdriver, or similar implement, probe the soil and determine how deeply the screwdriver can penetrate. A shovel may also be used, just step on the turf after removing the shovel to close any openings in the soil created by the shovel. Probe in various locations throughout the lawn, selecting areas that appear greener and are experiencing more rapid growth and also those that seem to be growing more slowly, or may be brown and suffering drought stress. This process will provide a general indication of the depth of moist soil during a normal watering cycle so you know how to adjust your sprinkler system.
Once each zone is set for the right amount of water, that zones duration should generally remain constant throughout the year. What should be varied, however, is the frequency at which the lawn is irrigated. During the cooler months, watering frequency can be decreased to as few as three times a month, or even less. As summer temperatures increase, the frequency of the irrigation cycles should be increased in order to compensate for greater water loss due to evaporation. Depending on your specific lawn conditions, you may wish to irrigate your lawn two or three times each week. However, keep in mind, there are customers using flood irrigation who receive water only once every 8 to 10 days, and many of these lawns are very healthy and look great. Over the years, the root system of these lawns have grown deeply to take advantage of the deep watering provided. On the contrary, lawns irrigated to a shallow depth of only two or three inches, constantly struggle with drought stress, and, unfortunately, the chosen response often is to resort to more frequent irrigation cycles. This irrigation practice, however, results in a significant portion of the water applied to these lawns being lost to evaporation and creates a weaker lawn. It is almost certain that a lawn, seeming to require water on an every-day basis, is not being irrigated to a sufficient depth, or the sprinkler system is delivering uneven water coverage, drenching some areas of the lawn and leaving others dry.
Targeted watering of drought stressed zones in the lawn, using a garden hose sprinkler, will provide moisture, in drier spots, without over-watering areas in the lawn already receiving sufficient irrigation. This special watering should continue until changes can be made to the sprinkler system to provide a more even water coverage. It is essential to irrigate the entire lawn, on a consistent basis, to a depth of 8 inches, allowing the soil to slightly dry between irrigation cycles.
Customers frequently ask, “how often, and for how many minutes, should I water my lawn?” This is an excellent question, but one not easily answered without knowing the specifics of your lawn. There are, however, several simple rules and techniques that can be followed to develop an effective lawn irrigation plan. First, irrigate the lawn sufficiently long to penetrate the soil to a depth of 8 inches. The length of time required to accomplish this will vary from lawn to lawn, and between the various stations of your sprinkler system.
While there are many factors affecting the length of time each station should be irrigated, measuring the actual depth of water penetration is quite simple. To do so, water the lawn through a normal irrigation cycle and then wait approximately 30 minutes to allow the water to soak into the soil. Then, using an 8 inch screwdriver, or similar implement, probe the soil and determine how deeply the screwdriver can penetrate. A shovel may also be used, just step on the turf after removing the shovel to close any openings in the soil created by the shovel. Probe in various locations throughout the lawn, selecting areas that appear greener and are experiencing more rapid growth and also those that seem to be growing more slowly, or may be brown and suffering drought stress. This process will provide a general indication of the depth of moist soil during a normal watering cycle so you know how to adjust your sprinkler system.
Once each zone is set for the right amount of water, that zones duration should generally remain constant throughout the year. What should be varied, however, is the frequency at which the lawn is irrigated. During the cooler months, watering frequency can be decreased to as few as three times a month, or even less. As summer temperatures increase, the frequency of the irrigation cycles should be increased in order to compensate for greater water loss due to evaporation. Depending on your specific lawn conditions, you may wish to irrigate your lawn two or three times each week. However, keep in mind, there are customers using flood irrigation who receive water only once every 8 to 10 days, and many of these lawns are very healthy and look great. Over the years, the root system of these lawns have grown deeply to take advantage of the deep watering provided. On the contrary, lawns irrigated to a shallow depth of only two or three inches, constantly struggle with drought stress, and, unfortunately, the chosen response often is to resort to more frequent irrigation cycles. This irrigation practice, however, results in a significant portion of the water applied to these lawns being lost to evaporation and creates a weaker lawn. It is almost certain that a lawn, seeming to require water on an every-day basis, is not being irrigated to a sufficient depth, or the sprinkler system is delivering uneven water coverage, drenching some areas of the lawn and leaving others dry.