HOW OFTEN TO WATER LAWNS

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WATER REQUIREMENTS FOR LAWNS
Generally speaking, water requirements for lawns - including both frequencies and amounts will vary throughout the year as seasons change. So lets take a look at the general principles behind effective lawn watering in any warmer seasons which requires regular watering for the ongoing health of lawns.
 

LAWN WATERING EVERY DAY
This is a always a bad lawn care practice. While the concept may seem to make sense by ensuring the lawn always has adequate access to water, it is in fact a highly detrimental practice. Watering lawns each day in small quantities encourages a shallow root system in the lawn, meaning that any time a hot day arrives, or the lawn is deprived of its daily dose of water, the roots can dry out very quickly, sending the lawn into shock or even sudden death due to this heat stress.
The second reason watering lawns daily is a bad choice is that the water is always sitting very close to the surface of the grass. On hot days, a lot of water will be lost due to evaporation, thus depriving the lawn of even more water, and increasing the possibility of risking the damage mentioned above.
Deeper watering every day is also a problem, much of the water will simply go to waste, returning to the water table. In some soil types, the soil will actually hold onto the water near the surface, making the grass weak and at high risk of damage, prone to drowning from lack of oxygen in the soil, and prone to diseases and weeds. As well as becoming a safety hazard due to the slipperiness of the soil and lawn.

ATER LAWNS DEEPLY
This is the first rule to follow in a correct watering regimen. Deep watering allows the turf roots to follow the water deeper into the ground, ensuring greater safety for the lawn to heat strain in hot weather, and greatly removing the possibility of roots drying out. Water will also remain in the ground for longer at a deeper level as there is very little evaporation.
Watering deeply will use different amounts of water in different regions and in different seasons, so giving an exact time for watering is near impossible. The turf owner should monitor their lawn’s health and adjust times to achieve the desired result with least water wastage.

LAWN WATERING FREQUENCIES
Again, the first consideration will be seasons and regions. None to little water in Winter, more regular watering in Spring and Autumn, and more frequent watering in Summer.
The best regimen for watering frequencies in Summer would be no more than one watering in the morning, twice a week. However, for a peak low use and deep watering system, even this amount of water should be aimed to be even further reduced.
And the best way to know when to water lawns is when the lawn leaf begins to wilt and slightly discolour, then it’s time for another nice deep drink of water. It’s always best practice to let the lawn tell us when it’s time for a drink, rather than us telling the lawn, by implementing our own preferred watering frequency regimen.
When combined with applying the correct amount of water to achieve a deep watering, this lawn care regimen will produce a beautiful lush green lawn with a nice deep root system, which is far more heat and drought tolerant.