Ways to Water Wisely 

How much water is enough?  It is the question all gardeners and home owners with lawns ask.  Although it seems like a simple question, many factors go into getting the correct answer.  In this article I will attempt to provide you with some basic information that will hopefully be helpful to you. 

Watering Tips for Lawns 

The type of grass that you have in your lawn will determine how much water it needs.  Kentucky Blue Grass tends to be the favorite among home owners and sod growers.  Unfortunately it also needs the most water at 2 - 3 inches per week.  Some of the water wise grass types such as Buffalo Grass and Blue Grama Grass require only a ½ inch of water per week.  If you do not know exactly what type of grass you have in your yard or if you have a mixture of grass, you can safely say your lawn needs 1 - 2 inches per week. 

About now you are probably wondering how long it takes to get an inch of water with your sprinkler.  My favorite method (that does not involve math formulas—I was never good at that subject in school) is to simply place some containers around the area that is being watered by your sprinkler and time how long it takes the water to reach the one inch mark.  Not all the containers will fill at the same rate so you will need to average the results. 

When watering, it is good to think of watering for longer periods of time with less frequency.  If you water for short periods of time, this only wets the top inch or so of soil and as a result, that is where the grass roots stay also.  When extremely hot weather hits, the top inch or two of soil will dry out pretty fast, and the plants cannot get enough water to stay green.  Instead, the soil should be wet to a depth of 6 – 8 inches so that the roots will grow deeper, and then it can take short periods of extreme weather without too much effect. 

Another problem with watering frequently and for short periods of time is that this promotes fungus and bacterial diseases.  Water should be applied no faster than the soil is able to absorb it.  If water begins to run off before one inch is applied (this may happen especially when you have clay soil), stop sprinkling until it is absorbed and then resume watering.  The soil should completely dry between watering so that the grass roots will be encouraged to grow deeper looking for water. 

However, there are two exceptions to the idea of watering longer and less frequently.  First, when you are just starting a lawn from seed, you will want to keep the soil moist, but not too wet. This may mean watering more than once a day until the seed germinates.  Second, if you have coarse, sandy soil then you will have to water more frequently with less water because this type of soil loses water quickly. 

If you notice that your grass is wilting, showing footprints, or changing color (such as to a blue-gray), these are some signs that your grass needs to be watered.   

The best time to water is in the early morning, from 1 AM to 7 AM, because it is usually calm and cool, so little water is lost due to evaporation.  The water pressure is usually higher at this time of day as well. 

Watering Tips for Trees and Shrubs 

Just like your lawn, trees and shrubs also benefit from longer, less frequent watering.  New plantings will need to be watered more frequently but once established in two or three growing seasons, the frequency can be reduced.  Once again, watering deeply and thoroughly will encourage a deep and healthy root system.  It is also important that the soil be allowed to partially dry out prior to the next watering.   

New plantings will probably need twice a week watering during the first month and once a week watering for the remainder of the growing season.  During the second and third year, water deeply once every two weeks or as needed.  

Instead of watering at the trunk as you do with young trees, mature trees should be watered at the drip line.  The drip line is the soil area below the furthest extent of the tree’s branches.  Trees do not have root systems like carrots.  Instead, a trees’ root system extends 2 – 3 times wider than the height of the tree and no deeper than two feet below the surface.   

In early fall, you can begin to decrease your watering to help the trees and shrubs begin their winter acclimation.  Stop watering in late September or early October when the trees or shrubs begin to drop their leaves.  If you continue to water during this time, it may slow the hardening of some plants and leave them susceptible to winter kill.  In late fall after all of the leaves have fallen, be sure to water your trees and shrubs deeply several times prior to the soil freezing.  During the winter, trees and shrubs should be watered when it is 40 degrees or above.

Watering Tips for Gardens 

Once established, gardens also do best when watered longer and less frequently.  Water plants as needed, making sure they get about an inch of water every 7 to 10 days.  The best time to water is in the early morning so that the plants can dry quickly as the sun rises therefore reducing the risk of foliage diseases such as powdery mildew which likes moist conditions.  Another way to prevent foliage diseases is to apply water to the soil rather than to the plant foliage. 

Conclusion 

The best watering rule to remember is to water longer and with less frequency.  This will encourage stronger root growth which will make your lawn, trees, shrubs, and flowers more healthy and drought tolerant.  I hope these watering tips have been informational for you. 

Happy Gardening!  

And don’t forget that the best garden hose for your needs is the Armadillo Garden Hose.