Watering Tips
Due to the diverse soil and weather conditions, gardeners in the Chicago area are faced with many people get confused when attempting to properly regulate how much water they need to put on their lawns. The following tips should be used as a guideline, only due to our ever changing weather conditions.
The best time to water is early morning (before sunrise) when water pressure is greatest. Evaporation is minimal and the lawn drinks in most water at this time. Do not water in the evening because water will sit on the lawn and may cause disease, especially with the cool nights we’ve been having in June and early July. Never water in the heat of the day because the sun will evaporate the water before it can soak in. in order to water your lawn efficiently, you must provide the right amount pf water. Evenly distributed, in in the right places and at the right time. This may seem like a lot of work, but once you realize your watering needs, the results are well worth your time and effort.
There are three things to consider when deciding how often you need to water. First and most important is the weather, next the type of soil and the depth of the roots. When it’s hotter, you’ll need to water more frequently. In order to keep your lawn healthy during the summer months you will need to water every other day. The type of soil affects how much water is available for the grass to use. Heavy clay soils hold the most water, meaning you’ll probably water less frequently. Sandy soils do not hold water well, so you’ll water them more often. Lastly, deeper roots mean there is more available water for the grass and, therefore, you’ll need to water less frequently. Think of you soil as a sponge that holds water for the grass. The deeper the sponger, the more water it can hold. It is wise to establish watering practices that encourage deep root growth. This allows lawns to go longer between watering which cuts down on disease potential and the amount of water you’ll use.
How much water you use should only depend on the weather. Water should penetrate to the depth of the roots, which should be at least six inches. The next scheduled watering should occur when half the water has evaporated. If you allow too much water to leave the soil, your lawn will not be able to extract what’s left for its own use, leading to stress. This makes the grass weak and susceptible to physical damage, insect damage, disease, and weeds. On the other hand, more lawns are harmed by too much water than not enough. Over watering causes vital nutrients to be flushed away and displaces oxygen from the soil. This leads to shallow roots and a lawn that is disease prone and weed infested.
During drought conditions, if the lawn can’t get enough water, it will first go into a dormant stage, marked by a bluish color. If the drought continues until the soil water is fully used, death will result.
An easy way to determine how much you’ve watered is to place several empty straight-sided cans at varois spots around your lawn. As you water, measure the depth of the water in the cans. You may also dig a handful of soil about 5 to 6 inches deep in the watered area. If the soil is moist, but not dripping, you’ve water about 1 inch.
|
William Quinn and Sons, Inc.
3860 W. 127th St.
Alsip, IL 60803
Phone: 708-389-8119
|
|
|
Home 
Contact Us | Site Map
