When you are outside this summer, whether for work or play, staying hydrated is important. Hydration is just as important for your lawn, especially during the hot, dry summers that we typically experience here in East Tennessee. The lawn care professionals in Kingsport at Promier Landscapes put together this watering guide to keep your yard looking lush and green all summer long.
Not All Lawns Should Be Watered the Same Way
When dealing with any type of turf grass, you should water enough to moisten the soil to a depth of 3-4 inches. Why does that matter? Well, watering to that depth creates a reserve of moisture in the soil that will continue to provide the necessary hydration for two to four days, depending on how much rain occurs. Finding out how deep the moisture has penetrated into your soil is easy. Using a hand tool such as a screwdriver or garden trowel, and push it into the soil. If there is not much resistance, the soil is wet. If not, more water is needed.
Proper watering is about more than just soil depth, though. How you water is influenced by other factors, including the type of soil that you have. For example, if your yard has soil that is sandy, it will need to be watered more frequently, but it will not require as much water to penetrate to the recommended depth of 4 inches.
Heavy, Infrequent Watering Is Best for the Health of Your Lawn
This may not seem like a problem when it’s the middle of the summer, and the sun is beating down on you with 90-degree temperatures, but overwatering is a common problem for lawns. Water your lawn too often, and this can make your grass more susceptible to disease. An improperly installed irrigation system, which is designed to water your lawn on a daily basis at regular intervals, is one of the chief culprits of overwatering.
Lawns in East Tennessee Need at Least 1 ½ Inches of Water per Week
This amount will vary based on the aforementioned soil type, as well as how much rain falls in your area. Watering in the early morning is ideal. Wait until midday, when it is usually the hottest and driest, and most of the water you apply to your lawn is going to evaporate before it penetrates the soil. Wait until the evening, and this encourages the wet and dark conditions that can promote the spread of disease.
If Your Lawn Experiences a Significant Drought This Summer, It Will Go Dormant
Dormancy is a natural defense mechanism that plants—your lawn included—use to survive stressful conditions. In this case, summer dormancy can be triggered if your grass endures prolonged moisture deprivation in combination with high temperatures over an extended stretch of time. During dormancy, your lawn may stop growing for a while in reaction to the environmental stress. Leaves and stems of your grass turn brown. Severe dormancy even can kill parts of your lawn.
Don’t let this happen to you! Although a poorly installed irrigation system can cause problems for your lawn, having an irrigation system in Johnson City installed by Promier Landscapes is a great choice. Hiring a landscaping or lawn care professional to design and install your irrigation system is the best choice. These experts have the knowledge and experience to account for any and every aspect of the unique terrain of your yard, including changes in slope that can cause uneven watering or poor performance of an irrigation system. Schedule an appointment for one of our irrigation system designers in Kingsport to visit your home for a consultation and estimate today. Just call our office at (423) 872-2988.
Promier Landscapes serves our customers in the areas of Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee.