A green lawn is the pride of the owner. However, this comes at a price, especially on watering. The lawn needs to be given just enough water for its existent, not too much and not too little. Efficient watering means giving the lawn enough water to keep it green while reducing water wastage. This is what you need to efficiently water your lawn.
• Water the grass when it needs it
Look at the grass to determine if it needs water before watering it. If the grass has a blue gray tint and older leaves wilt or curl then it should be watered. Over watering the lawn may lead to development of diseases and fungus and affects its health. It is also important to conserve water by limiting the amount of water you give to the lawn. When watering, note that some plants need more water than others do. Elements of weather such as wind, humidity and temperature also affect the frequency of watering the lawn.
• Do deep watering
Ensure that water goes deep into the soil to promote root growth. This is by allowing watering to go on for duration long enough for the water to penetrate the soil. Water only when the plants need it. Shallow watering make the roots of the plants to grow shallow and it may lead to diseases and susceptibility to drought. You can determine how deep the roots are by digging a hole in the soil and measuring it. This will help you to know how long you need to water the plants for the water to get to the roots.
• Morning watering
To ensure that there is less water loss due to wind or heat, water early in the morning before nine. At this time, there is calm with less wind and the air is cool, a fact that reduces evaporation. This increases the amount of water that gets to the plant reducing wastage.
• Position the sprinklers properly
Poorly positioned sprinklers can lead to them watering the sidewalks, streets or the driveway instead of watering the lawn. This leads to wastage of water. Ensure that the sprinklers only water the lawn by positioning them properly. Monitor the watering such that there is no water runoff to the driveways or the street because this leads to loss of water. If there is run off and deep watering has not been achieved yet, turn off the sprinkler for about 20 minutes or rotate it to another area to allow the ground to absorb water.
• During rains
It will be a waste to water the lawn when it is raining. If your sprinkler system is automatic, set up a rain sensor to turn the sprinklers off if it rains. If it is expected to rain afterwards, do not water the lawn. Check the amount of rain received to determine if there is need for more watering. You can sprinkle some water if you expect it to rain to enable the soil easily absorb rain. You may also harvest rainwater using a barrel for watering later. If there are some areas that do not get enough sprinkled water, use hands or a separate sprinkler to water the area.
Comments