Are you worried about a dry, parched, or brown lawn? Are you jealous of neighbors with beautiful green lawns?
If you’ve been struggling with keeping your lawn healthy and green, try out these tips for having a great lawn—stress-free.
In this short post, we’ll cover some of the basics about grass types, irrigation timing, lawn care, and sprinkler systems to keep your lawn happy and healthy.
Choose The Best Grass Types
It seems kind of straightforward, but each type of grass is unique. Each type has a different preference for climate, seasonal care, and watering. Once you know which type of grass is best suited for your lawn, you can water it accordingly.
There are two main types of grasses: cool-season and warm season.
Cool Season Grasses
As the name implies, these are grasses that are active in the spring and fall. They go dormant in summer and winter. Bentgrass, Bluegrasses, Ryegrasses, and Fescues belong to this category.
Cool-season grasses only need water about every 3 weeks if you’ve had no rain.
Warm-season Grasses
These grasses are the opposite and actively grow in the summer heat, while not growing in fall and winter. The grasses that are warm-season growers include Bermudagrass, Carpetgrass, Bahiagrass, Centipedegrass, St. Augsutinegrass, and Zoysiagrass.
These grasses require regular watering, especially during their high-growth summer season. If you’re looking for more drought-tolerant varieties, consider planting Bermuda, Bahia, and/or Zoysia.
Irrigation Timing
Once you’ve determined the type of grass for your lawn, consider when you irrigate. The timing makes a huge difference in the health of your lawn, plus it can dramatically impact your lifestyle and water bill. Use these top tips for stress-free watering:
Water Only As Needed
According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), most lawns need irrigation about every four to eight days for healthy growth. Lawn irrigation accounts for nearly half of the water usage of your home. You may find it interesting that watering less frequently but more intensely can promote healthier turf.
Keep track of when your grass needs water. A quick rule of thumb is to step on the lawn to test for springiness. If the grass doesn’t pop back, it’s time to water. Also, keep note of rain, so you can water less if you’ve had a lot of rain.
These measures can help you manage water usage, and keep your water bill in check.
Water In The Early Morning
Early morning watering is what grass loves best. The early hours allow the grass to absorb the water, nourish roots, and plump up grass blades for the heat of the day.
The second best time is late afternoon, although this is not as ideal as early morning. Avoid watering during mid-day as water absorbs too quickly. Also, steer clear of evening watering as this can promote fungal diseases.
Water In The Right Amount
It’s important to find the ideal amount of water — not too much and not too little. Your goal is to create a deep moisture lawyer for the soil. If your soil is clay-based, this is often about an inch of water. If your soil is sandy, aim for a half-inch of water to saturate 6 to 8 inches deep.
Loamy and moderately porous soil is the ideal soil for healthy grass. Water as needed.
Picking The Best Sprinkler Systems
Sprinkler systems can be complicated, but basically there are two types: old fashioned haul it around, or automatic sprinkler systems.
Old-Fashioned Sprinkler Systems
If you grew up with hose duty for your lawn, you know the drill. You may be very familiar with a fixed sprinkler that you need to drag around the lawn to get enough coverage.
You might also have tried your hand at hose-end spray nozzles to adapt the volume and pattern of spray by twisting or dialing at the nozzle.
Finally, you might have tried out an impact sprinkler that sprays water from a spike or tripod.
What do all these old-fashioned methods have in common? You need to get up in the early morning and be actively involved with watering the lawn. If you love this activity, great. If you hate it, don’t worry. There are easier and more convenient alternatives.
Smart Sprinkler Systems
When it comes to watering lawns, busy homeowners often want to find the simplest system. You don’t want to be on a work trip, vacation, or out of town and come back to find a dead lawn.
This is why homeowners opt for automatic sprinklers. These systems can be set up with automatic timers to control the timing of each section of your irrigation system. You can have a seasonal turn-on service, so you won’t have to wonder about leaks, spray, and coverage. We’ll take care of all that nitty-gritty stuff, so you can enjoy watching the grass grow.
Consider adding even more peace of mind with a smart irrigation controller. Instead of relying on a fixed timer, these tech-savvy irrigation controllers water grass according to changing environmental conditions. They use either Wifi or GSM cellular connectivity to collect plant data and weather forecasts and deliver the right amount of water.
If you’ve been curious about smart irrigation controls, this is a great way to simplify irrigation. Your smart system will do all the work for you. No more lugging around dirty hoses, checking grass dryness, or sorting out hoses.
What If Your Grass Is Brown
Don’t panic. If your lawn looks tan or brown during the summer heat, it may look dead. Many northern cool-grasses take a break from growing in the summer. If your lawn is dormant, as soon as the weather gets cooler, it will perk up.
If your grass is brown, it could be because the grass is just taking a break. For instance, Kentucky bluegrasses just take a few days to pop up after dormancy.
If your lawn looks brown or tan, give Quench a shout. We may be able to recover damaged grass or recommend the best options if you need to replace existing grass.
Keep Your Lawn Happy and Healthy — With No Stress
We are happy to help you with sprinkler system evaluation, setup, and a yearly turn-on service. Check with your trusted irrigation specialists to get your sprinkler system set up for keeping your lawn happy, healthy, and green.
For ultimate ease, consider having a contract for seasonal services.
If you’re looking for a certified irrigation contractor for your home, commercial or residential properties, call Quench Irrigation New Jersey. You’ll find reliable service technicians who are friendly and highly experienced.
With professional service, you can experience ease and speed. As we like to say, “Consider the job done!”
We’re here to help. Contact Quench Irrigation today!