Proper Watering: Taking Care of your lawn

Water is a key ingredient to the health and success of your lawn. However, over-watering can be a detriment. Finding the balance will determine if you can keep your turf green all year long! Whether you are growing fescue, bermuda, zoysia, or st. augustine, you need to water appropriately. Here are a few general guidelines for  lawns in the Chesapeake and Virginia Beach areas:

– Water early in the morning. Early evening is second best. The temperature at these times is lower, creating less evaporation and allowing more water to reach the roots. There is also less wind, allowing your sprinklers to spray where they are intended to.

– Water heavily. Ideally you want to soak the soil 6 inches deep. In the Tidewater area, that generally takes about one inch of water per week (irrigation + rainfall) on average during the growing season. Less when it’s cooler and more when it’s hot! If you want to check how much water is being applied, lay a flat bottom pan or Tupperware in a few places around the yard. Measure the depth of the water on a flat surface and adjust as necessary.

– Water infrequently. Frequent, light watering promotes shallow root growth. The deeper the roots grow, the more drought resistant your turf will be. Only water 2-3 times per week and allow the soil to dry out in between. Avoid watering the day before MJ’s is scheduled to mow your lawn!

– Don’t over do it! If you are seeing puddles and/or runoff then lower your settings. Certain zones will need less time than others to adequately soak the area.

– Adjust your settings! The settings needed for early spring are totally different for the middle of summer. You will need to increase and decrease as needed. Remember to let your lawn dry out between applications. In cooler temperatures, this may take more than a week.

An over-watered lawn in Chesapeake