Frequent Watering in Summer: Expert Recommendations for a Vibrant Lawn
Keeping Your Lawn Green and Healthy Through the Summer Heat: A Guide
Summertime guards can be a real pain for maintaining a lush, good-looking lawn, especially when it comes to watering outdoor plants, choosing the right mowing schedule, and fertilizing your grass for better health. We've tapped into garden experts to share their professional tips and tricks to help you keep your lawn happy, hydrated, and ready for the heat!
Summer heat is no joke, and it's not unusual to question whether you should water outdoor plants daily in hot weather or how often you should mow the lawn. To keep your grass in top shape during the hot months, consider the following advice.
So, How Often Should You Water Your Lawn in Summer?
During periods of hot weather, it's crucial to strike the right balance between watering frequency and watering enough. But to water your grass every single day during the summer heat? Nah, that's not needed unless you've got newly sown grass on your hands, y'all! Julian Palphramand, Head of Plants at British Garden Centres, shares, "For established lawns, watering deeply but infrequently is better. We recommend watering 2-3 times a week is sufficient, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. This encourages deeper root growth, making the grass more drought-resistant."
Pro Tip: Raising your mower to a higher setting helps hold onto soil moisture, reduces evaporation, and saves some water. Plus, collecting rainwater from that trusty ole water butt can help lower your water use even more! Remember to avoid watering during those windy, scorching afternoons.
Horticultural whiz, Julian, oversees the selection of indoor and outdoor plant varieties for the company's 62 retail stores. His knowledge, passion for plants, and commitment to spreading the love for greenery are a big part of the company's continual growth and success.
Adapting the watering schedule to your lawn's feedback is essential, too. As Sean Lade, irrigation expert and director of Easy Garden Irrigation, suggests, "If your lawn appears overwatered or underwatered, scale the duration back or ramp it up, respectively, to maintain the best lawn conditions throughout the summer."
Take note: generally, during cooler months, your mission is to soak the entire lawn. "Water until you apply an inch or two (25-50mm) of water to the lawn so it can seep beyond the root zone, promoting deep roots," Sean explains.
Extra Tip: Put a small glass on the lawn to monitor the water flow! If you've got shady spots that don't get much sun, don't drench them as much as the rest of the lawn. And if the lawn is so dry that water starts to run off, water in stages until it sops in correctly.
Timing is Everything: What's the Best Time to Water Grass in Summer?
Watering your garden in the summer requires timing precision, especially for lawns that are exposed to direct heat. Julian suggests watering your lawn early in the morning so that the water can penetrate deep into the soil and reach the roots before the heat of the day causes evaporation.
The morning watering also gives the grass blades a chance to dry up before the nighttime, decreasing the possibility of fungal diseases. The next best bet is an early evening soaking, but try to avoid prolonged dampness and disease overnight by keeping the watering schedule in check.
Sustainable Watering Practices: Save Water, Save Money
With eco-friendly garden practices on the rise, it's essential to take water conservation measures when hydrating your lawn. "Deep watering and infrequent watering is recommended," Julian emphasizes. "Consider using irrigation methods like soaker hoses or drip systems to efficiently reach the grass roots. Using a timer for your sprinkler system can also help conserve water."
Good to Know: Check the grass's condition, and water only when it shows signs of needing it. Give it a good stomp – if it stays flat, you're in the clear. If it springs back up, it's time to break out the hose or sprinkler.
Identify Your Lawn's Health
Wondering if your lawn is looking its best? Here's Sean's color-coded guide to help you figure out what your grass needs:
- Green: Your grass thrives in this natural color. "Your lawn should be constantly luscious green," Sean says. "This green hue indicates that your yard is healthy and strong."
- Yellow: During hot and dry conditions, your lawn might yellow slightly. To ensure your grass bounces back to its best, give it a good soaking.
- Brown or Red: Browning and reddish hues are signals of stressed grass. Act quickly to revive your yard, as these signs indicate that your grass is trying to protect itself from unfavorable conditions.
- Orange: Watch out for orange grass – this could be a sign of rust disease. Rust disease develops in wet and warm conditions and may require an investment in some lawn fertilizer and the proper maintenance of drainage and irrigation systems.
- Silver: Silver-colored grass is deceased grass. At this point, it's best to plant new grass seed and start fresh.
So, go forth and maintain your lawn like a pro during the summer heat! With a little TLC, you'll have a lawn that looks as good as it feels under your feet. Enjoy your green oasis!
- To ensure a healthy lawn during the summer heat, follow the advice of garden experts like Julian Palphramand, who suggests watering your lawn deeply but infrequently, about 2-3 times a week.
- For the best lawn conditions throughout the summer, horticultural expert Sean Lade recommends adapting the watering schedule to your lawn's feedback, scaling duration back or ramping it up as needed.
- To conserve water and save money, consider using irrigation methods like soaker hoses or drip systems, and use a timer for your sprinkler system.
- To identify the health of your lawn, use a color-coded guide: green grass indicates a healthy, strong yard, yellow may indicate it could benefit from watering, brown or red suggest stressed grass, orange may indicate rust disease, and silver indicates deceased grass.
