Spring has arrived and summer will soon be here in the Baltimore area. As summer quickly approaches, do you know how to effectively water your lawn to make it healthy? It turns out that there are a few products that make watering your lawn easier as well as some common misconceptions about watering your lawn. Follow these tips to effectively water your lawn during the growing season, or visit our Baltimore lawn care page for additional information.
Know Your Sprinklers
There are a wide variety of sprinklers on the market and the best choice depends on what kind of lawn you have. If you have just planted grass seed, an oscillating sprinkler will be best in gently wetting the lawn without the chance of damaging the seedlings or blowing them around which would create an uneven lawn.
However, if your lawn is well established, an oscillating sprinkler isn’t very effective in watering the lawn. The design of the sprinkler allows the water to shoot up high which increases the chance that water will evaporate before it ever hits your grass. Choose a pulsating sprinkler that rotates for well-established lawns. This sprinkler style forces out water quickly which allows the water to quickly fall onto the grass. It also shoots water out at an angle which makes the water less susceptible to being blown around by the wind.
Know When to Water
We’ve all seen neighbors that have their sprinklers on in the morning, afternoon, and evening. The morning is the best time to water a lawn because it allows the water to penetrate the grass while also having enough time to soak before the heat of the day arrives. Morning watering should take place anywhere between 4am-10am to take advantage of this cooler part of the day. This also helps disperse the water as the wind is usually not a factor during the early morning hours.
Afternoon watering is not conducive to a healthy green lawn. The heat quickly evaporates the water before the grass has a chance to soak up any moisture. Wasting time and money by watering your lawn more, while not getting full advantage of the gallons of water that you are using.
Evening watering can create a dangerous disease environment for lawns. Allowing water soaked lawns to sit wet overnight creates a perfect setting for a fungus to grow. It can be tempting to think that allowing the lawn to be wet overnight allows the soil to soak up the water but this practice can actually backfire making it harder to keep a healthy lawn.
Invest In a Timer
Forgetting to turn off the sprinkler is something that every Baltimore homeowner has probably done. Investing in a timer is a great option in order to make sure that your water gets turned off. Simply attach the timer to the end of the hose and the spigot for easy installation. Set the amount and time for the sprinkler, turn on the hose, and walk away! The timer will automatically stop the water when needed which will keep the lawn from being overwatered as well as save you money in unnecessarily high water bills.
Think about the coming Baltimore summer season and follow these easy tips on how to properly water your lawn. Pick the correct sprinkler for your lawn type and make sure that you have a long enough hose to reach the middle of your lawn area. Choose to water twice a week in the early morning and use a timer to make sure that you don’t overwater. Enjoy a lush lawn by knowing how to properly water your lawn this upcoming summer in Baltimore.
