 
Watering
Watering is an important part in maintaining a healthy
lawn and homeowners
should understand how to irrigate correctly. Too much water
is damaging to
turfgrass and is often the underlying cause of lawn failure.
Problems with
overwatering include:
| 
A less developed and shorter root system, which has
less capacity to seek out water and nutrients at lower
soil depths and has less overall stress resistance.
|
|
An overly succulent shoot system, susceptible to disease
and insect infestation. |
|
Weaker cell walls in the shoot tissue, which reduce
the strength of leaf tissue. |
|
Buildup of excessive thatch, particularly in St. Augustine
grass. |
Light, frequent watering is inefficient and encourages
shallow root systems. Excessive irrigation, which
keeps
the root system saturated with water, is also harmful to
the lawn.
How often should I water?
University of Florida guidelines for watering lawns on
an “as needed” basis. This can be determined
by
observing the first signs of wilt. The signs that you
need to look for are:
|
Leaf blades are folded in half lengthwise in an attempt
to conserve water. |
|
The grass takes on a blue-gray tint. |
|
Footprints or tire tracks remain visible on the grass
long after being made. |
How much water should I apply?
An accurate watering schedule would apply 3/4 inch of water
as needed. Do not water again until signs
of wilt are noticed.
How long will it take my irrigation system to apply
3/4
inch of water?
There are several factors to consider when setting the
run time on your irrigation clock. Each homeowner
will have
a different situation with their irrigation system and for
these reasons we cannot recommend a
general set time. These
reasons include:
|
Different types of irrigation systems. |
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Different types of irrigation heads. Rotors will dispense
more water than a pop-up head. |
|
Varied amounts of water pressure. |
To determine how long your system will take to apply 3/4
inch of water follow these simple steps:
-
Set a can with a flat bottom and at least 1 inch in
depth in your lawn.
-
Run your system until it fills the can to 3/4 inch.
-
Mark the time needed to achieve this level.
*If you have both rotors and pop-up heads then you will
have to repeat these steps for each.
What time of the day should I water?
The best time for lawn irrigation is in the early morning
hours. Watering during the day wastes water due
to excessive
evaporation and can scald the lawn when temperatures are
high. Watering in late afternoon or
late morning may be
detrimental if it extends the time the lawn is naturally
wet from dew. This extended “dew period” can
accelerate disease occurrence.
How Your Turfgrass Affects Your Landscape Plants
Its important to remember that a sprinkler zone may be
irrigating not only turf, but landscape plants as well.
These plants may have different irrigation requirements
and may be over- or underwatered if irrigation is based
on turfgrass needs. This factor emphasizes the importance
of good landscape design and irrigation planning,
where
all components of the system must be considered.
Any Micro-Environmental Effects in the Landscape
that
Affect Irrigation Requirements
Not every part of your lawn will have the same irrigation
requirements. For instance, if grass is planted close
to
the house, it will be in shade for some portion of the day.
Trees or large shrubbery can also cause shade,
and some
mature canopies actually shade a portion of the lawn for
an entire day. In these cases, it may be
very difficult
to grow an acceptable stand of turf, and a different groundcover
may be a better choice. If you
choose to grow grass in the
shade, you must reduce irrigation to this part of your lawn.
Why do I have brown spots in my lawn?
Localized dry areas can occur in your lawn even though
you have an irrigation system. Here are some
reasons why?
|
Irrigation is blocked by an obstacle. |
|
Irrigation is being redirected by wind. |
|
Sprinkler head may be broken or out of adjustment. |
Area may not be getting 3/4 inch of water when irrigated. |
When a brown area occurs in your lawn check to see if this
grass shows signs of wilt as discussed earlier.
Another
sure way to check if it is in fact drought follow these
simple steps:
-
Dig down in the brown area at least 4 inches and feel
if the soil is dry.
-
Dig down in a green area of the lawn at least 4 inches
and see if the soil is moist.
If you find that the brown area is dry and the green area
is moist then you most certainly have an area of your
lawn
in drought. To correct this situation set a flat bottom
can in the brown area and run your system to
check uniformity
and coverage. If you turn on your system and find that the
sprinkler heads are working fine
and the coverage looks
good then you are either not getting 3/4 inch per watering
and/or not watering this area often enough. You also may
find that this area is what is called a “hot spot”
in your lawn. That means this area may just require more
water than the rest of your lawn and hand watering this
particular area is needed.
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