Watering the lawn
If you want your lawn to stay healthy and look good then watering
the lawn is a process that you should routinely undertake in seasons
where rainfall is inadequate and high temperatures result from strong
sunshine.
Watering a lawn is not a process that should not be carried out
every day! In order for a lawn to thrive the grass needs to have
a healthy root system. A strong deep root system is encouraged when
water penetrates deep into the soil, the roots then 'follow' the
water and so form a deep healthy root system. A lawn that has only
a shallow weak root system are at greater risk and will be more
severely effected by environmental stress factors such as drought,
pests or disease.
Watering the lawn efficiently
In certain regions and in certain years water may be scarce as
water resevoirs may not have
adequate supply from rainfall. This can lead to a hosepipe ban in
some areas meaning that use of a hosepipe fed lawn sprinkler is
not possible. An attractive lawn needs a lot of water. What are
the options for watering the lawn when there is a hosepipe ban or
when we want to try and conserve water?
- Water your lawn in the early morning as this is when least evaporation
will occur (due to cool
temperatures and low winds) and so results in greater water conservation.
If you cannot water in the morning then the early evening is the
next best time although this can result in the lawn being wet overnight.
This can increase the likelihood of disease, indeed many fungus's
that can affect the lawn need damp conditions to produce spores.
- Make sure to reduce the layer of thatch that can build up in
the lawn as this can both take in
the water that was meant for the lawns grass roots as well as prevent
the water from reaching the soil surface thus meaning that it can
evaporate off the thatch without ever reaching the grass roots.
Thatch can also cause water to run off into other areas, again preventing
the water reaching the soil. You should aim to make thatch removal
part of your lawn calendar and schedule it in for early spring or
late summer.
- If using a sprinkler ensure the pressure and direction of the
sprinkler are optimised so that
water is not being wasted by sprinkling it onto neighbouring non
lawn surfaces such as patios,
paths, shrub beds etc.
- Make sure the soil is soaked in the root zone. This means soaking
the soil to the depth that the grasses roots reach. You can determine
whether the water is reaching the lawn roots by applying the sprinkler
then leaving alone for 24 hours before digging up a small section
of turf and soil to see how far down the soil the water has reached.
If the water hasn't reached the desired depth then extend the sprinkling
time next time you water.
- Determine how often your lawn needs watering. The intervals
between watering will depend on a number of factors including temperature,
rainfall and soil type. Remember to try and keep your watering routine
so that the lawn is watered thoroughly at longer intervals rather
than watering sparsely at more frequent intervals.