Yard Watering Tips, Techniques and Advice

You want a beautiful lawn, but your time is valuable. Lawn Doctor’s lawn watering tips will make watering your grass an effective and efficient process for you. To figure out when it is time to water your lawn, keep an eye out for early indications of dehydration and wilt. Common signs include grass that is bluish-green, grass blades that curl and footprints that stay noticeable on the grass. The majority of lawns need around one inch of water each week.  If you are not sure how long you should water, mark some plastic containers an inch above the bottom and place them in different parts of the watering zone.  Time how long it takes to get to the one-inch mark. That’s how long you should water going forward. While you can water at any time, the most effective time to water is generally morning, when you will lose the smallest amount of water to wind drift and evaporation. Methods of Lawn Watering

• Portable sprinklers offer a reasonably-priced method for watering grass. Since sprinklers have a variety of distribution and range methods, select a sprinkler according to the size and the shape of your lawn watering zone.
• Stationary sprinklers are good for small patches that need extra water or are missed by other sprinklers.
• Rotary and impact sprinklers are intended for circular watering zones on large to medium lawns.
• Oscillating sprinklers send a fan of water throughout a large rectangular area. Revolving sprinklers work in smaller areas, shooting a circular pattern of jets of water.
• An irrigation system, being timer-controlled can be effective in maximizing efficiency. You can set up an automatic lawn watering schedule and not have to disrupt your own schedule to water your lawn.
• Irrigation systems can also help conserve water. They can be a perfect choice for vacation homes or for homes in which the owner is often away.

Droughts and Water Conservation

One of the most important lawn watering tips is to be sure to follow any restrictions on lawn watering when there is a drought. Droughts may be harsh on the environment as well as your lawn, causing great damage to land as well as to livelihoods. Droughts hurt everyone, so it is essential to respect the environment by making efforts with regard to water conservation.

• Prevent waste and runoff by monitoring your yard watering closely. Aim sprinklers away from streets and sidewalks.
• In the event of a short drought, if grass continues to grow, mow the lawn on the high side to help shade roots. Do not water as much, but do so for a long enough period to promote a root system that is strong and deep.
• Insufficiently watering your lawn can cause grassy weeds to grow.
• If your region is susceptible to drought, rethink your landscape by placing shrubs and plants with similar requirements for water in groups.  Plant grass, shrubs and trees that are pest-resistant and drought-tolerant.

Flooding, Moss and Mushrooms

Heavy rainfall or flooding can cause heavy damage to your lawn. Your lawn will have a good chance of surviving if it is underwater for fewer than four days, the temperature is not above 60 degrees and there is no erosion.

• Remove all mud, silt and debris left on the grass, following a storm.  Salt water could be a danger in the event of a hurricane. If the soil has been contaminated by oil or salt water, make sure to flush the grass with water until you are confident you have freed the root system from contaminants.
• If you must contend with flooding problems on a regular basis; fill in any depressions or low spots in your lawn. Grade slopes so that water drains away from your house and the house’s foundation. Think about putting in a drain tile if draining problems continue.
• Plenty of wet weather can result in the growing of mushrooms, which will work to break down older organic matter within the soil. Mushrooms cause no harm. If you want, you can mow mushrooms down.
• It is important however to watch out for a Fairy Ring, which occurs when mushrooms are growing in a circle that has dark green grass in the middle. The grass inside the Fairy Ring could die as it competes with the mushrooms for water.
• Algae and moss can be caused by lousy drainage or excessive shade. Raking may control moss, but Your Local Lawn Doctor can assist you in dealing with these conditions. But these issues will persist until the shade or drainage problems are resolved.

Decorative Water Features

Ponds, fountains and waterfalls can add dimensionality and a focal point to your landscape.  You can devise a pond kit on your own or contact a professional landscaping service to help with the decorative water feature. Lights, yard art, decorative stones and tiered pools can also be used to create the effect of flowing water.

For more information, contact Lawn Doctor of Madison-Decatur-South Huntsville.

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