Just like humans, lawns need proper hydration. And just like many humans, our lawns are not receiving proper hydration. Talk to your doctor about human hydration, but here I will talk about lawns.
Many people believe that the more water the lawn receives, the better. Not true. If you give your lawn too much water you can be harming it. Too much water can make it vulnerable to fungus and other lawn diseases. And it can make the grass grow too quickly. You can also wash away the fertilizers. And also – it wastes water.
To avoid this, purchase a soil moisture meter. They cost about $10.00.
Most experts agree, your lawn needs about one inch of water per week. But. by using the moisture meter, you can adjust your watering levels as necessary.
However, new lawns require more water than a mature lawn.
If you have in ground sprinklers, do not set the program and ignore it. During periods of heavy rain, turn the sprinkler system off for a few days. Wait until the top 1 to 2 inches of soil have dried out, then begin watering too much.
Many old timers use a very simple system to track how much water their lawns receive, either during rain or watering. Put a can on the ground and measure how much is in the can after a rainfall or watering event.
Many people water their lawn at night, which is the worst time. The best time is in the morning, between 4:00 and 8:00 AM. This give the lawn water it requires during the heat of day, and is less prone to evaporation due to the winds speeds generally being lower during the morning.
And if your lawn turns brown, don’t panic. It’s a normal response to heat and drought as the lawn goes dormant. It will recover. Worst case scenario, reseed in the fall for next year.