07/26/2024
Who turned up the heat? Looking at the forecast, we are going into some hot, hot weather, and that's not particularly pleasant for the lawn. We've been working hard all spring to get our lawns in shape and we definitely want to keep them that way! One of the best things we can do is water properly.
What does that mean? Well, in this case, more (frequently) isn't always better. To understand why, here's a (super fast) rundown of how a lawn works. :)
A healthy lawn has a deep root system, 6 inches into the soil. This does a couple of things.
First, it creates a sturdy root system (that's a no-brainer right? Longer is stronger - try pulling out a dandelion from its flower if you don't believe me!).
Second, it give the lawn a way to out-compete w**ds. Weeds generally (not dandelions) have shallow roots. But wait - how does having deep roots work to the grass's advantage?
I'm so glad you asked! When we water deep, and water less frequently, the grass that has deep roots can drink to its heart's content, while the shallow-rooted w**ds die of thirst. That sounds a bit harsh but it's what's happening in nature.
What we want to do is water a few times per week for a long period of time, during the right time of day. That's why it's so important in the high desert to have a sprinkler system (which we can help you adjust and repair if you need it!). What's long and infrequent look like?
For each zone of your system:
3-4 times per week
Between the hours of 3 - 6 a.m.
2 cycles of 20 minutes each
EX:
If you have a 4 zone system, you want to run zone 1 for 20 mins, then zone 2 for 20 mins, then zone 3 for 20 mins, then zone 4 for 20 mins. And then do it again. This gives an hour between each watering of each zone.
Why? We're trying to get water to pe*****te into the soil and go deep, not to sit on the top of the soil or run off. Soil can only take so much water at a time. Watering multiple times per watering ensures that the water goes as deep as possible to get those roots long. The reason we water in the early morning is because the heat of the evening is done, and there is as little evaporation as possible while the watering is happening. Then, once the water is absorbed, the morning sun will dry the blades. Grass isn't watered by the blades, and anything else that's living up there with them (and up to no good, like fungus) will also get less water.
But wait - won't the grass dry out if I don't water it every day? Yes!!! That's exactly what we're going for. The top part of the soil will dry out, but we've watered deep, where the water can't evaporate and the lawn has access to that water during the dry heat. What doesn't have access? Weeds! The grass will have a deep reservoir of moisture to draw from, while the w**ds will not.
This does not mean that the lawn will be the crazy growing green lush monster that it was during the spring. It's going to get stressed. A few more tips to help with stress:
Mow higher - 3.5" If we mow for you, this is what we're doing, and if you mow your own lawn, this is what we recommend. It helps shade the soil to reduce evaporation and cutting less blade (not more than 1/3 the length) keeps it from getting stressed by the cut.
Mulch clippings - this is good for the grass (a little natural food) and it also helps retain water and cool the soil
No additional N feeding - we don't want to feed for growth during the heat. If you're a fertilizer client of ours, we are only applying soil builders during the heat of the season, not high nitrogen. This helps the soil, but doesn't encourage growth.
If you have any additional questions on watering, or need help with adjusting coverage, your sprinkler timer or other sprinkler repair to make sure your grass is getting the water it needs through the summer, we're just a phone call, email or text away.
Stay cool and enjoy your summer!
