Lawn Watering Tips
Watering your lawn is a crucial part of the lawn treatment process to achieve a healthy green lawn, however how much and when are common questions that we get asked?
How Often?
Water when the lawn tells you to, not according to some arbitrary plan. Your soil type, grass type, exposure to sun and wind are just a few of the factors that will determine how frequently you need to water. It also goes without saying that an adequately fertilised lawn will tolerate dry conditions better than one lacking proper nutrient levels. This might mean some lawns require watering once a week whilst others only need water once a month in exactly the same weather conditions.
The signs to look for when the lawn is starting to gasp a little are: a change in colour with the lawn becoming dull as moisture levels become low. In addition the lawn will lose its ‘springiness’ and foot prints will remain in the lawn when normally the grass would spring back to shape.
How much water?
Water deeply each time you water – at least half an inch for clay soils and an inch (25mm) for sandy soils. You can work this out by placing a measuring jug on the lawn, once the jug has collected 10mm of water you know you have watered enough and can move the sprinkler to another area. (This is how professional ground staff in the sporting industry measure how much they have watered) 10mm is plenty of water, and any more than 15mm will leave you lawn squelchy to walk on.
But I’m on a Water Meter!
Watering your lawn is not as expensive as many think, however, Luxury Lawns can also help reduce costs further with our “water retention treatment” that can reduce your Lawn watering costs by up to 50%. Not watering is often much more costly in the long run as reseeding and re-turfing can be very expensive and always require you to water afterwards. Surely it’s better to look after the grass you already have?
HELPFUL TIP: Water Butts are a great way to save water & make use of recent rainfall, Besides being natural, rainwater is usually soft, which makes it a good option for watering your Lawns and plants. Actually, the absence of those very chemicals that make tap water safe for drinking makes rainwater a better choice for your outdoor watering needs.
Why not try our Water retention treatment. This product will make use of any water available and store it in the root zone for the grass to use when needed.
Consequences of Incorrect Watering
Watering too often, too little or at the wrong time of day promotes disease, moss, weeds, weed grasses such as annual meadow grass and shallow rooting. Pop up automatic sprinkler systems that water daily can often be the cause of many lawn problems if not set up correctly.
Water Repellent Soil (Hydrophobic)
Sometimes soil becomes very hard to re-wet once it has dried out & becomes hydrophobic(repels water). Even though this might be due to a fungal condition such as dry patch our water retention treatment can aid water penetration and retention in most circumstances.