A good summer watering program is cheaper and less time-consuming than rebuilding a damaged lawn. The ideal program is all about TIMING and economy.
Here are our tips for watering done right:
- Begin watering when a thin-blade, nine-inch long screwdriver becomes difficult to push into the ground. Apply enough water to penetrate a depth of six inches or more and time how long it takes to do so.
- Once you know how long it takes to penetrate six inches, use a water timer (on your hose or sprinkler control panel) to make watering easier and more accurate.
- The best time to water is from midnight until 7:00 A.M. The lawn is already wet from dew then, so the chance of disease in not increased. The idea is to minimize the length of time your lawn stays damp at any given time.
- The next best time to water is noon until 4:00 P. M. This allows the lawn to dry in the morning and again before nightfall.
- The worst time to water is between 7:00 and 11:00 A. M. and from 4:00 P. M. until midnight. Either of these time periods will extend the length of time the lawn stays damp and can cause turf disease problems.
- The best days to water are on days when the humidity and temperature are lowest.
- The danger is greatest when the temperature + the relative humidity = 150 or more (example: 90 degrees + 60% humidity = 150).
- Let the lawn go dormant if you can’t water during the recommended hours of the day. That’s right. Dormant turf is more likely to survive than diseased turf.
- Help a dormant lawn survive by applying two inches of water (or more) all at one time every four weeks. This will keep the roots alive and provide for an inexpensive, healthy recovery in the fall.
As always if you have any questions about the best watering program for your lawn, do not hesitate to give us a call at (913)789-9333 or ONLINE.
