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Watering FAQ

questions

>> How much water does my lawn require?

>> How long and how often should I run my sprinkler system?

>> How much water do my shrubs require?

>> How often should I water?

>> What time of day should I water?

>> How deep into the soil should water penetrate?

>> What happens if I don't water my lawn enough?

>> What happens if I over-water my lawn?

>> What happens to grass during a drought?

 

Answers

  • Q: How much water does my lawn require?

You should apply enough water in addition to natural rainfall to total 1" to 2" per week. On sandy soils that can't store much moisture, you'll need to water with greater frequency. However if the temperature rises, so do water requirements for your lawn.
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  • Q: How long and how often should I run my sprinkler system?

Since the amount of time assigned to each section varies according to your actual conditions, there is no specific answer to this question. There are many variables that determine how long to run a zone of sprinklers. It depends on plant species, root depth, soil type, time of year, slope of the ground and the precipitation rate.

Generally, rotors will deliver a precipitation rate of about 0.3 to 0.6 inches of water per hour. The system design and efficiency can lower these amounts further. Using these numbers you can than calculate how long to run the zone to apply the amount of water you require. Generally 15 to 45 minutes depending on how frequently you water.

Generally, spray heads will deliver a precipitation rate of about 1.2 to 2.0 inches of water per hour. The system design and efficiency can lower these amounts further. Using these numbers you can than calculate how long to run the zone to apply the amount of water you require. Generally 3 to 15 minutes depending on how frequently you water.

We can, however, offer a general rule of thumb. The precipitation rates on rotor/spray head zones are about a 4 to 1 ratio. This means that rotor zones should be run four times longer than spray zones. Time and experience will tell you what will work best on your own property.
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  • Q: How much water do my shrubs require?

Shrubs on the most part are hardy and need less watering then new lawns. However, we do recommend that your shrubs are covered with their own independent sprinkler zones due to varying watering needs. Typically, your shrubs should be watered every seven to ten days with 2" of water.
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  • Q: How often should I water?

How often you water depends mostly on the soil type and root depth. Vegetation with longer roots can last longer than those without. If your roots are around an inch long you may need to water every day. The ability of the soil to hold moisture and the amount of soil the vegetation is able extract water from (root depth) is the determining factor.

It is better to water for longer periods of time at lesser intervals. This allows your grass to work continually to establish roots, where as frequent watering for shorter intervals spoils your grass causing the roots to surface therefore promoting weeds and disease.

Generally depending upon your soil type, 2-3 cycles per week is adequate for most lawns. A general rule of thumb is to water your lawn whenever you walk across your lawn and you leave footprints because the grass does not spring back up.
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  • Q: What time of day should I water?

We recommend that you water early in the morning (completed before dawn), followed by an evening cycle only for new lawns. You should water in the middle of the day only if it's cool or if you have a delicate, new lawn that requires constant watering. This helps to ensure that your lawn won't be damaged by the strong rays of the sun when mixed with the fresh cool water. Evening watering (completed before dusk) is recommended only after several days of intense sun or heat.
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  • Q: How deep into the soil should water penetrate?

If only the top few centimeters of earth are watered, the roots won't seek water any deeper down. Shallow roots force you to water more often to maintain a green lawn. And frequent water keeps soil constantly wet, encouraging weeds and disease.
Instead, to promote root growth, watering should regularly penetrate 6-to-8 inches deep. It may surprise you to know that some roots will go down more than 5 feet. This enables lawns to go longer between watering, cutting down on disease potential.
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  • Q: What happens if I don't water my lawn enough?

If a lawn isn't watered enough, its roots remain shallow. That makes your lawn more susceptible to stresses caused by insects, diseases and fluctuation in temperature and rainfall.
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  • Q: What happens if I over-water my lawn?

Many people think that more water is better, theorizing that extra water drains away. Unfortunately, this isn't the case. Wasted water will drain away. However, too much water causes nutrients to leach away from the root zone. In addition, over watering makes the grass grow faster, need more frequent mowing and promotes weed growth and disease.
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  • Q: What happens to grass during a drought?

The first sign of a drought problem: your lawn turns a dark bluish-green tinge. Leaf folding causes this color change. You'll also notice that a water-deprived lawn loses its springiness and footprints remain following any foot traffic. Most lawns go dormant about three days after drought-caused wilting begins.
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