How much water does a lawn need?
In general, most turf grasses need about 3/4" - 1" of water per week to maintain green color and active growth. However, during certain times during the summer when high temperatures are the norm, you should allow your Gainesville lawn to naturally slow down in growth during those extreme conditions by not fertilizing with any nitrogen so it doesn't need more water. Many factors such as the soil and weather all have a role in the lawn's water needs. Here are a few guidelines to follow:
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When is it time to water?
The first few warm days of Spring does not automatically mean to use your Gainesville Irrigation System. In fact, allowing lawns to start to go under mild drought stress actually increases rooting and strength. Watch for foot printing, or footprints remaining on the lawn after walking across it (instead of leaf blades bouncing back up). Grasses also tend to curl and fold when stressed by drought, which is a good sign to use your Gainesville sprinkler system Sampling the root zone soil could be another option. -
Water as infrequently as possible.
Thoroughly water when you do water so moisture soaks down to the deep roots. Exceptions to this general rule would be for newly seeded lawns where the surface needs to stay moist, newly sodded lawns that have not yet rooted into the soil, or when summer patch disease is a problem (see Gainesville Lawn Diseases). Otherwise, avoid frequent waterings that promote shallower root systems and weeds (e.g., crabgrass). -
Water early in the day if possible.
Given a choice, water early in the morning when lawns are normally wet from dew. Avoid midday watering due to excessive evaporation, and at night due to potential increased chances of some diseases gaining a foothold. The exception to this guide is when you are in extremely hot weather and nighttime temperatures don't go below 68 degrees. Then it is better to water in the late afternoon or early evening, providing you don't have watering-time restrictions. Early or late in the day reduces the amount of evaporation that takes place during the very hot day, allowing more water to reach the root zone. Some Gainesville Landscape Designs are prone to fungus problems though, so be careful about your timing. -
Spread the water uniformly across the lawn.
Gainesville Sprinklers vary in distribution patterns, and require spray overlap for uniform coverage. Placing coffee cans or similar straight-sided containers on the lawn can help measure water application rates. Avoid flooding areas, or missing other spots. On heavy clay soils and slopes, watch for excessive runoff; it may be necessary to apply the water in several applications to allow for adequate penetration. -
Water conservation.
To help conserve water, mow your lawn at a higher than normal height, avoid applying an excess of nitrogen as warm weather approaches, limit traffic over the lawn, improve turf rooting, control thatch and soil compaction, and avoid pesticide use on drought stressed lawns. Don't allow water to hit the driveway or into the street. This is just wasteful. -
Avoid overwatering
Use a raingauge to measure how much water you're applying. Overwatering does more than deplete the water supply, it also makes plants prone to pests and adds to stormwater runoff, which pollutes our water systems. By choosing and operating a watering system correctly, you can reduce water bills, insect and disease problems, and maintenance requirements. For example, the more you water your lawn, the faster it grows and the more it needs to be mowed. If you need an Irrigation Contractor, TMLC can schedule a service call to check your system, verify coverage, set your timer, and repair any issues you may have with your system. GRU even offers a Gainesville Irrigation rebate for us to do so, which will make the service call almost free of charge! -
Hold off watering after fertilization and hold off fertilizing if heavy rains are expected.
To reduce the possibility of having fertilizer wash into our water system, don't water heavily soon after fertilizing. Use light waterings to give the fertilizer the opportunity to be absorbed by the soil. Also, if heavy rains are in the forecast, hold off fertilizing until the heavy rains have passed. -
Monitor rainfall
Don't water the lawn if rains are expected soon. Keep track of rainfall for the week. Don't apply more water to the lawn than what is absolutely necessary. The guide of about 1" of water per week is only a guide. If your lawn doesn't get that 1" of water, it's not going to die. A rain sensor will help monitor this for you, and TMLC can gladly install one if you do not have one already!