Best Practice Watering Tips

Lawn enthusiasts and gardeners are eager to get out and do…something. This warm weather has us itching to get outside. We know these warm wet spring days are going to lead to dry hot summer days. Will your plants be prepared? An inground sprinkler system is an investment that will pay off big dividends in the months to come.

Best Time To Water
Whether you’re overseeding your lawn or preparing to plant a vegetable garden, seeds and new plants require lots of moisture to germinate and send out strong roots. Extra watering initially may be needed for optimal results.

Watering your lawn and gardens is best done in the early morning when winds die down, the humidity is low, and plants have all day to absorb the moisture and dry. This is especially important when the hot weather sets in as watering at night may leave plants vulnerable to fungus and other diseases. Watering during the hottest part of the day means plants are cooled, but moisture is lost to the air and water may not reach plant roots.

Measure How Much Water Is Reaching The Soil
Simple plant math dictates that too little water stresses plants and they wither, while too much water plants are exposed to fungus, mold, and other problems. Some plants go dormant during a drought and revive with sufficient moisture, others will dry up and die. But how do you know?

When using above ground sprinklers, place some empty cat food tins or tuna cans – any open mouth straight sided container, around the yard to collect the water. This way you can measure how much water is reaching the ground in different parts of the yard. Do this when it rains as well so you have an idea of how much water each part of the yard receives. Dig about six inches into the soil, that’s about how deep the water needs to penetrate. Is enough water being delivered?

Time how long it takes for the required water to soak into the ground, and set a timer going forward.

Watering Too Frequently
The problem with watering too often is that plants don’t grow deep roots. Plants with shallow root systems can’t handle heat and dry weather conditions well. Plants with deep roots are better able to handle extreme weather. For lawns especially, encourage deep root growth by watering deep enough to reach the roots, and water infrequently enough to encourage the plants to dig deep with their roots.

For a fantastic lawn this summer, contact the irrigation experts at Nutri-Lawn Burlington Inground Sprinkler Systems.  We can help you every step of the way!