TIPS
We are here to help you with all of your irrigation and landscape lighting needs, but sometimes there are things you can do yourself to help maintain your system and keep it running properly. Here are some helpful tips and tricks to consider when evaluating the health of your lawn.
UNDER-IRRIGATION
Under-irrigation, or irrigation giving only just enough water for your lawn and plants, results in poor salinity quality of your grounds. This can lead to elevated soil salinity levels with the potential for the buildup of salts (which, in high levels, are toxic) on your soil's surface. Heavy damage of this kind generally requires leaching to remove these salts along with an intelligent design for proper drainage to flush and remove said salts from your grounds.
Signs of an under-irrigated lawn include the presence of the heat and stress fungus and the yellowing of the turf. Another clear symptom of a lawn that is being watered too infrequently is a dry soil with shallow digging grass roots.
Dry soils also lack beneficial microbial activity, because these microbes require moisture to stay alive. Properly watered lawns will have moist soils that are not over-saturated. The key to building a living soil that is teaming with beneficial microorganisms is allowing the soil to dry out between lawn watering.
HOW MUCH WATER DOES MY LAWN NEED?
Proper watering practices improve the quality of your lawn, provide important environmental benefits, and save you money. The amount of water an established lawn requires and receives will help determine its overall health, beauty, drought resistance and ability to withstand use.
The amount of water your lawn needs is dependent on several factors. These include the species of grass, neighboring plants and should be adjusted for seasonal changes, sun and shade factors and the degree of slope within areas of the lawn. Here are some general rules to follow:
Water heavily at more infrequent intervals.
Let the lawn completely dry out between watering intervals.
Look at your lawn to determine if it needs water. Grass in need of water will have a grey-blue cast to it. On an adequately watered lawn, footprints will completely disappear within minutes. On a lawn in need of water, footprints will still be visible after a half-hour or more.
You also can use a soil probe, such as a screwdriver or large spike, to determine how dry your lawn is. If the probe can be pushed into the soil easily, the soil is probably still moist. But if it takes a lot of pressure to push in, the soil is too dry.
