In hot arid places like Southern California, there’s a trick to watering your lawn. It’s more than simply turning on the irrigation system. Watering is one of the most crucial aspects of lawn care, but many homeowners water too frequently or not often enough. That’s why Lawnscape Systems, Inc. created a helpful guide for homeowners in the Orange County area.
Guidelines
Water In The Morning
Between 3:00 AM – 9:00 AM. If you have an irrigation system, you can set a timer. If you have a sprinkler attachment for your hose, you’ll need to set your alarm clock. Adding another chore to your morning routine may seem annoying, but wasting money on water is even more annoying. And that’s exactly what you’ll be doing if you water at any other time of the day. The best time to water is before the sun is high in the sky. That way, your turfgrass will have a chance to absorb the moisture before the sun evaporates it all.
In addition, never water in the late afternoon or evening. You don’t want that moisture to sit overnight in the dark. This allows microbes like mold, mildew, and fungus to thrive.
Always Deep Water Your Lawn
This means water from 20 – 45 minutes multiple times a week – more on this later. If you water for only 5 – 10 minutes, you can actually harm your lawn.
Have Sprinklers Or Irrigation System Inspected
If you have an irrigation system, make sure it has yearly inspections. If it’s not functioning properly, your lawn might become dehydrated from lack of moisture or inundated with extra water.
Mow At The Correct Height
To get more bang for your buck in the watering department, mow your grass 1/2″ or 1″ higher than usual from May through October.
Check For Compacted Soil
If your soil is compacted, the water won’t be able to absorb properly. Soil becomes compacted naturally over time due to foot traffic and thatch build-up. You can easily test your soil to see if it’s compacted by sticking a screwdriver 6″ into the soil of your lawn. If you can’t do this easily, your lawn is compacted, and you should consider a core aeration treatment to remedy the problem. Another symptom of compaction is water runoff. If you notice all that precious water flowing off the lawn and into the gutter, it’s a good indicator that your lawn is too compacted to let the water in.
Core aeration is a service that uses a specialized tool, called an aerator, that breaks up compacted soil by removing hundreds of tiny plugs of soil. This will not harm your grass or affect the appearance of your lawn. These small plugs are then left on the surface of the lawn where they can break down naturally. By creating these small holes, air, water, sunlight, and nutrients can once again reach the root zone of your turfgrass. Unfortunately, when your soil is compacted, water will flow off it, which is a waste of water and your hard-earned money.
How Often Should I Water My Lawn In Southern California?
The number one factor that determines how often you should water is the temperature. So follow this guide to keep your lawn quenched all summer long.
General Watering Schedule Guidelines For Southern California
May – October
For Standard PVC 3 – 4″ Pop-Ups (Like Toro 570s)
Average Temperature Minutes Per Station Times Per Week
75 – 85 degrees 20 3
85 – 95 degrees 20 4
95+ degrees 20 Every Day
For Standard Brass Style Pop-Ups
Average Temperature Minutes Per Station Times Per Week
75 – 85 degrees 30 3
85 – 95 degrees 30 4
95+ degrees 30 Every Day
For Impact Rainbirds Or Stream-Style Rotary Sprinklers
Average Temperature Minutes Per Station Times Per Week
75 – 85 degrees 45 3
85 – 95 degrees 45 4
95+ degrees 45 Every Day
Hire Lawn Care Services In Orange County
Watering a lawn is just one of the many factors that go into maintaining a gorgeous lawn. For weed control, fertilization, and pest control, turn to Lawnscape Systems, Inc. For over 40 years, the experts at Lawnscape Systems have been improving yards in Orange and San Bernadino counties. By combining our water best practices with our knowledge and expertise, we’re confident you’ll enjoy the yard of your dreams. Give us a call today at (714) 909-1836 or leave us a message online.
For more tips and suggestions on maintaining the ideal lawn, be sure to visit our blog page, where we post monthly articles on various lawn care-related topics. Also, don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, where we post photos of our work.