Why a Lawn Irrigation Plan Needs to Be Just Right in the Lagrangeville and Hopewell Junction, NY Areas
One of the trickiest things to get right when it comes to lawn care is irrigation. Overwatering, underwatering, watering at the wrong time and poor watering practices can both wreak havoc on your lawn, causing all kinds of problems over the course of the growing season. Here’s why a lawn irrigation plan needs to be just right in the Lagrangeville and Hopewell Junction, NY areas.
1. Overwatering
In a misguided effort to give a lawn what it needs, many homeowners overwater their lawns. At first, a lot of water will bolster fast growth but if the soil isn’t allowed to dry out a bit between waterings, you could be looking at saturated soil that doesn’t support grass growth. There could be soggy, swampy spots in the lawn; you could end up with rot or mildew that has the potential to kill the turf grasses; and, next time there is a big rainstorm, saturated soil means the water will have to go somewhere, and this can cause flooding.
2. Underwatering
Underwatering can happen just as unintentionally as overwatering. Many homeowners make the mistake of concentrating their irrigation efforts on sun-baked parts of the lawn and neglecting the shady areas (which “should” be able to take care of themselves). It’s easy to let these shady spots go just a little too long without water, which will stress the grass and invite weeds to get established.
Prevent over- and under-watering by watering deeply once or twice a week. The more deeply you water - and allow the soil to “breathe” between waterings - the deeper the root systems will grow, which will protect your grass from summer drought.
3. Watering at the Wrong Time
When you water is almost as important as how much you water. Watering in the evening can lead to too much moisture lingering and causing mold to grow. Watering in the middle of the day means most of the water will evaporate before it reaches the roots.
The best practice is to water early in the morning, so that the water has a chance to absorb into the soil before the heat of the day.
4. Poor Watering Practices
Knowing how much is enough, is also a challenge. The most common lawn irrigation mistake is watering too often, but not long enough. Many people water for a short time, and frequently; this only encourages shallow root growth, which could lead to disaster come the heat of summer as water evaporates from the soil.
As we mentioned earlier, a long, thorough soaking is best - where water has a chance to soak into the soil rather than collecting on top.
A Professional Irrigation System
Those are the basics of lawn watering. But here’s the real trick: every part of your lawn has different needs, so putting together a plan for watering each individual section according to its needs, could be a very complicated process that can end up in a lot of wasted water.
A professional irrigation system can be zoned so that each part of your lawn receives the amount of moisture it needs, when it needs it. An irrigation system will also have rain and temperature sensors, which will automatically adjust the watering schedule and duration accordingly.
When placed carefully and calibrated properly, an irrigation system can save you a lot of money on water bills, and it will result in a much healthier lawn (and landscape, too!). Questions? Give us a call!
Related: Why It's a Good Idea to Invest in a New Irrigation System in Lagrangeville