While watering your lawn might seem simple enough there are some tricks to ensure it’s done in the best way possible.
Water when it’s needed
Watering too much and/or too often can lead to fungi growth and disease. Depending on recent wind, rainfall, humidity and temperature your turf typically needs 2.5 cms of water per week. If the grass blades are wilting, curling or taking on a bluish-grey colour then more water is needed. Another clue that your lawn needs water is when about a third-one half of the lawn plants don’t bounce back when walked on.
Water more deeply and less frequently
When you water your lawn quite often but shallowly you encourage shallow root growth and weed germination. This practice lets the grass plants become susceptible to disease and drought. Alternatively, less often but deep watering encourages a stronger and deeper root system. You need to water down to the root zone of your lawn.
To determine the root zone of your lawn and therefore how long you should be watering for, you can undertake this simple exercise.
Run the hose or sprinkler in one particular area of your lawn for 15 mins. Wait 18-24 hours and then dig a hole, use a shovel as a lever or use a probe to see how far down the moisture has penetrated. Use the depth of the moisture and the depth of the root system to work out how long you should be watering for. For example, if the moisture reached 10cm in 15 mins but your root zone reaches down 20cms then you would need to water for twice as long (30mins) to achieve optimum watering.
Water first thing
Where possible you should water your lawn between 4-9am when the air is cool.
Water with cool water
Water that has been sitting in the hot sun (even in the hose) can scald the lawn plants. Water when the water is cool or at least run the tap until the hottest water is flushed out.
Don’t water just out of habit, water when your lawn needs it.
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