This time of year, we see a lot of lawns being waterlogged from the abundance of rain that Gainesville landscapes have experienced the past couple months. The worst thing you can do is to your lawn is compound the problem by adding water from your irrigation system. Overwatered lawns will feel soft when walked on, and there may be some water present on the surface as well.
What is overwatering?
When there is more water than the soil is able to absorb between waterings. This is also when there ismore water than air in the soil.
PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH OVERWATERING:
• Disease and fungus run rampant. Grey leaf spot, take-all root rot, large patch fungus, and other diseases are much more active in your Gainesville lawn when constant moisture in the soil.
• Shallow root system. More water in soil means less air, essentially suffocating your lawn. Weakened, shorter roots leave grass unprepared for drought conditions and cause your turf to struggle when it finally dries out.
• INCREASED PESTS — overwatered soil is a breeding ground for unwanted lawn pests, causing the need for more Gainesville lawn spraying.
Insects: Overwatered lawns are at risk for increased insect problems. Common insects in overwatered lawns include tropical sod web worms and army worms. Overwatered lawns can also harbor fire ants.
Weeds: Overwatered lawns experience increased weed problems that are difficult to control. Braodleaf weeds and Nutsedge have gone wild this year with the abundance of rain and the addition of irrigation makes it worse.
What is underwatering?
Underwatered lawns may feel crunchy when walked on, look dried out, and the soil usually feels powder dry.
PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERWATERING:
• Affects root system of Gainesville lawn because soil can easily become compacted.
• Increased pest activity.Although this is also true with overwatering, there are different pests that prefer dry soil to waterlogged landscapes. Gainesville lawn pests such as Chinch Bugs and Mole Crickets become more active in dry lawns.
• Easier damage from traffic. Overly dry grass is easily damaged by use, such as mowing equipment or foot traffic.
• It causes grass to thin out, which will allow for weeds to enter your lawn in these areas.