Watering Your Lawn

February 18, 2015

• Save Time and Money by Watering the Right Way
  
  True, water is essential to lawns. But too much or too little can harm them. Running the sprinkler all night sets up the right conditions for disease. Frequent, light watering causes the grass to grow shallow roots and sets your lawn up for trouble in hot weather. Here are a few easy pointers for correct watering.
  
  
• Watering Basics
  
  Mother Nature usually provides enough water through rainfall for grass to grow strong. However, there are times when rainfall needs to be supplemented, such as with newly planted lawns or extended periods of heat and drought. If you choose to water, wait until the lawn becomes dull green in color and footprints remain visible in the grass.
  
  
• Make Sure You're Watering Properly
  
  If using sprinklers, apply about a ½ inch of water twice per week. To know how long it takes to apply that much water, set out empty tuna cans to measure it and determine the time needed to apply a good thorough watering. It could take between 15 and 30 minutes depending on the type of sprinkler you use. Also, sprinklers don't always put water down evenly. To make sure water is going where it's supposed to, check to see that the water levels in the tuna cans are equal to know your sprinkler is doing its job.