Watering your lawn can sometimes be a game of hit or miss. Many homeowners fall in between the categories of either watering their lawn too much or not enough. The results of over-watering can often cause fungus and disease to damage your grass and soil while under-watering can lead to a dry, brown and patchy lawn. If your lawn is dehydrated and in distress, contract the services of an experienced irrigation company to help you figure out how to get your grass healthy and green again.

During the summer months, install an automatic sprinkler system so that you can conveniently water your lawn on a schedule. The irrigation specialists at The Sprinkler Connection in Pittsford, NY, offer a best practices guide to watering your lawn.

3 Best Lawn Watering Practices From Your Local Irrigation Company

1. Know Your Soil Type

Soil health determines grass health, so take a soil test to learn what type of soil is in your yard. If your soil has visible puddles after a watering, your soil probably has a high clay content. Clay soils absorb water slowly, so they will require repeated watering cycles for a shorter duration of time. Unlike clay, sandy soils need more frequent watering. Once you know what type of soil is supporting your grass, you can regulate your irrigation cycles.

2. Keep Grass & Soil Hydrated

The average, healthy lawn needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, but amounts can vary depending on your soil type. Water during the early morning hours before the sun’s heat has a chance to evaporate the water. Early morning watering will allow the liquid to penetrate the soil and provide as many nutrients as possible. On days with excessive rainfall, you can turn the sprinkler off until the following week. To ensure that your lawn is watered appropriately, hire a professional irrigation company to set up the sprinkler installation and monitor your lawn irrigation.

3. Measure Sprinkler Output

To gauge the amount of water that your lawn is receiving, leave a shallow pan outside and time how long it takes for the bowl to fill to one inch.  If it takes 20 minutes or several hours, that will be the amount of time that you will need to leave your sprinkler running for adequate watering.

The Sprinkler Connection, serving Monroe County, is your trusted local irrigation company for sprinkler systems, back flow testing, installation and maintenance. Call (585) 398-3960 to schedule a consultation. Visit their website to learn more about their irrigation products and services.