Know Your Lawn: When And How To Water Your Yard

With new water shortages, costs of city utilities, and desires to have a pristine lawn, many homeowners are struggling with when and how to water their yard.  Should they only water when the yard is "thirsty" or have a regular watering progam?  Do they water early in the morning or in the evening when they return home from work?  Are they watering for too long or too short?

If you have a lawn that has grass in it, which is everyone, you have thought about at least one of those questions.  Lawn watering does not have to be a chore, however.  If you spend more than 10 minutes a week dealing with your lawns watering program then you are spending too much time worrying about it.

Of course, I do recommend in-ground pop-up sprinklers for every yard, mainly due to their simplicity.  Once you have a sprinkler system you can set the control box with your watering program and forget it.  If a tropical storm comes through, which is common in our area, you can push the delay button to cease watering for a couple days. 

Many do not have sprinkler systems, and for those people watering does not have to be a chore either.  There are many timers available that attach to your water hose that can make your watering program less of a headache as well.

To simply answer the initial questions, no, you do not want to only water when your yard is parched.  Having a watering progam that is constant can keep your yard from the stress of too much water and too much heat and dryness.  A less stressed yard is a greener, healthier yard. 

Watering early in the morning, at least an hour before dawn, is best to assure less water wasting by wind and evaporation.  This will give you more water for less money as well as prepare your lawn for the heat of the day.  Also, watering in the evening can let the water sit all night on your lawn possibly leading to mold and other issues.

Knowing how much to water your yard can take some homework.  You likely will have to begin your watering progam and adjust due to your yards reaction.  Does your yard look dry by late afternoon?  Is your grass not filling in, looking "thin" in some areas?  You may need more water.  Do you have new broadleaf weeds, like clovers, or even mushrooms in areas you haven't had them before?  You may be watering too much or too early.

If you have questions regarding your Tallahassee area lawn, feel free to mail them to UpperCut@Rocketmail.com !