Watering:
Whether you have a sprinkler system or a sprinkler attached to the
end of a hose your goal in watering a lawn area is the same. You want
to soak the lawn thoroughly then wait 2 or 3 days and then water thoroughly
again. Ideally when you water, you water long enough for the moisture
to penetrate at least 2 inches deep into the soil. You then allow
the surface to dry out for 2 full days and then water again on the
3rd day. The reason for watering this way is that it will encourage
the roots of your grass to grow deeper making it more resistant to
extreme heat; it will also help prevent fungus from getting started
in your lawn.
If you have a sprinkler system with a timer set it up to water twice
per week and long enough to soak 2 inches deep (during extreme heat
– multiple days over 90 degrees you may need to water 3 times
per week).
Example- If you water your lawn at 2 am Monday morning set your timer
to water again at 2 am on Friday morning (if possible watering should
be done late evening to early morning to allow maximum soil penetration
before the water starts to evaporate. Watering in the heat of the
day will cause immediate evaporation and huge loss of water).
The question of how long you should leave your sprinkler system on
to get the desired amount of water on the lawn has no set answer and
don’t let anyone tell you it does. Some sprinkler systems with
good overlapping coverage may have the capability of putting down
enough water in 20 to 30 minutes to soak 2 inches deep. Other systems
that don’t overlap very well or don’t overlap at all could
take 40 to 60 minutes; a sprinkler on the end of a hose could take
a couple hours. The way to determine how long to run your sprinkler
system, will take a little effort on your part but will be worth it
in the long run. After you have run your system for what ever amount
of time you are used to running it go out into the lawn (after it
has had a couple hours to dry) with a small digging tool (a screw
driver will work fine) and dig down about 3 inches deep and observe
the amount of moisture in the soil. If it is consistently moist 2
inches deep you are watering just right. If it is only consistently
moist 1 inch you need to increase the amount of time you water. If
it is consistently moist 3 inches deep you can water a shorter period
of time.
Mowing:
Whoever mows your grass, it should be mowed no shorter that 2.5 to
3 inches long, during extreme heat never mow it shorter than 3 inches
long. Mowing the grass short causes much faster evaporation of water
from the soil. It causes the roots to dry out much faster. It allows
the soil and roots to become overheated and damaged and can cause
scorching of the tender growth areas by the sun causing serious damage.
Fertilizing:
Don’t buy cheap large chain store fertilizer. They sell the
same stuff all over the United States and our soil conditions here
are nothing like the soil in California, Florida, Connecticut or Georgia.
You need to buy fertilizer designed for our soil in the Front Range
of Colorado. It is helpful to have a fertilizer with additional minerals
in it like iron, zinc and manganese or apply these separately in a
product such as (Ironite). Also helpful to have, is a surfactant mixed
in or applied separately. Surfactants are the slippery substance you
find in dish soap and it allows water to penetrate the soil more easily.
One brand name that carries a surfactant is (Revive).
A
good organic fertilizer can be a good way to go, but just because
it is called organic does not mean that it is automatically a good
fertilizer. Do some research or hire a professional. How often you
fertilize depends on the fertilizer, how slow the nitrogen is and
the amount of fertilizer you put down each time. Read the directions.
Insecticides,
Fungicides and Herbicides:
These are products to kill insects, diseases and weeds. There is too
much to cover in an article like this so I won’t even try. What
I will say is that I don’t particularly like fertilizers that
contain these Pesticides. They are in a dust form that is easily breathed
in by yourself, your pets and wildlife such as birds. When you fertilize
the Pesticide is broadcast across your entire yard whether there is
really a problem there or not and it will be deposited all over your
clothes and your pet’s fur if they go out in the yard whether
you like it or not.
Professionals
will usually only apply Pesticides when needed to the area where they
are needed in the dosage needed in a liquid form that dries and adheres
unlike dust. I recommend that you hire a professional who is licensed
to use pesticides and can diagnose your lawn problems and apply them
safely and effectively.
Preservation
Tree Care Inc
At Preservation Tree Care Inc. our in-depth knowledge of trees and skill
at treating them, make us leaders in the Science and Art of Preserving
Trees.
Mark
is a Board Certified Master Arborist and President of Preservation Tree
Care Inc.
