Learn to “Read” Your Lawn & Prevent Serious Watering Mistakes

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So far, it’s been a very soggy spring! However, in Nebraska it can go from too much to too little rain in a matter of days. That’s why it’s important to know…

  1. How much
  2. How often
  3. When

… you should water your lawn and landscaping. Because overwatering your grass and greenery—as much as under watering—can seriously damage your property.

Signs Your Grass is Overwatered:

  • The ground feels mushy or soggy when you walk on it.
  • You notice standing water in your lawn.
  • Crabgrass and other weeds start to thrive and spread.
  • The grass turns yellow or light green.
  • Irregular, spreading bare patches appear caused by moisture-loving insects.
  • Grass begins to wilt, often due to white grubs feeding on the roots.
  • Runoff from your sprinklers into your driveway or street is excessive because your lawn is oversaturated.
  • Mushrooms and algae begin to grow in your lawn.

Signs Your Grass Needs Water:

  • The blades turn a grayish-blue instead of a dark green.
  • Walking across the lawn leaves footprints; grass that doesn’t spring up after walking across because it’s thirsty.
  • The blades roll or start to fold.
  • The ground is hard. A screwdriver won’t go into the soil with gentle pressure.

How to Adjust Your Watering Schedule:

  • If your lawn shows signs of too little or too much watering, simply adjust your watering schedule by changing how often and how long you water.
  • Don’t know how to change your sprinkler system controller in order to adjust your watering schedule? We have two instructional videos to show you how. Or just contact us and we’ll come do it for you.

Best Time of Day to Water:

  • Water in the early morning between 4 am and 8 am. Otherwise, you can waste up to 65% of your water because it evaporates in the heat of the day before your grass can absorb it.
  • Don’t water at night. A wet lawn that sits all night is prone to root rot as well as fungus and other infections.

How Long to Water:

  • It’s best to water your lawn deeply and less often than vice versa. How deep depends on the type of grass you have, type of soil, topography and more. However, here are some rules of thumb:
    • Have a bluegrass lawn? Water until the soil is moist 6-8 inches in depth; most other grasses require 8-12 inches in depth.
    • Usually 1 inch of water will penetrate a loamy soil 6 -8 inches. If you have clay soil, however, you’ll need to water more because 1 inch of water only penetrates about 4 inches in clay.
    • Usually a watering schedule of every 5-7 days will suffice but again, your lawn will let you know if it needs more or less.

Don’t Water in the Rain:

  • This sounds like an uh-duh, doesn’t it? But you’d be surprised at the number of properties we drive by with the sprinklers running full blast while it’s pouring down rain.
  • Water is fundamental to human life and usable water on this earth is very limited. We can’t afford to waste it! But green spaces are critical to our wellbeing, too.
  • So if you can’t be home to turn your system off whenever it rains, let us install a rain sensor for you. It’s small, affordable and pretty much runs itself. And it’s just one small way you can help save the planet while saving money on your water bills, too!

Summer system checkups are important because weather changes so often you need to modify your watering program accordingly. Contact us and we’ll come out and ensure you’re getting just-right watering to your lawn and landscaping.

For the easiest, most convenient and affordable lawn watering, we offer you our hassle-free Sprinkler System Service Contracts with Discounted Pricing on Services.