Watering lawns the right way

Grasses, in the cooler season need about 1.0 to 1.5 inches of water per week to preserve their green colour and to grow naturally. In the hotter season though, they will slow down in growth and may even go dormant.

Water can be conserved by mowing the lawn higher, limiting nitrogen in the warm weather, avoiding traffic on the lawn, improving grass rooting and avoiding pesticides on drought stressed lawns. 

Here are a few guidelines for a healthy lawn:

• water the lawn consistently over the summer - don't let them go brown, then decide to water the lawn
• it is beneficial to not water the lawn in the first few days of hot weather - this stress increases rooting in the grass, and turns grass a darker green
• provide enough water so moisture goes down to the roots instead of staying at the surface (except for in the case of newly seeded lawns)
• avoid frequent, smaller waterings because they promote shallow roots and introduce weeds such as crabgrass and annual bluegrass
• water early in the morning when grass is wet from dew - midday waterings mostly evaporate
• avoid flooding some areas and missing others, watch for runoffs, apply uniformly and ensure water is soaked in

Tips courtesy of Turf Logic