Next to sunlight, water is the most important ingredient for a healthy and beautiful lawn. But when the grass gets too much of it, the yard may suffer. Here, the team at Irrigation Tech, the leading provider of lawn sprinkler systems in Rochester, NY, highlights a few major reasons to avoid overwatering the landscape.

5 Risks of Overwatering Your Grass

1. Root Suffocation

When the lawn sprinkler system puts too much water in the soil, it pushes out the carbon dioxide that grass and other plants need to survive. If you recall your high school biology class, we and all animals take in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.Plants, including turf grass, take in carbon dioxide and expel oxygen. Believe it or not, plants take in carbon dioxide through their roots, not their leaves. If the soil is over saturated, there may not be room in the soil for the carbon dioxide the plants need and they will decline. This decline would be the same as if you could not get the proper amount of oxygen.

2. Root Rot

If the soil stays too wet for too long, especially in Rochester clay soils, the roots will actually rot. As more and more of the roots rot, the plant has less and less ability to absorb carbon dioxide, nutrients and ironically, water. This leads to death and as your grass dies weeds who are far more hardy will take over.

3. Weed Growth

Uncontrolled irrigation can help weeds grow faster and become more abundant in the yard. While some growth isn’t a real danger, excessive weed development can take over the landscape and steal resources from the plants you do want. Generally speaking, weeds are much more hardy than turf grass. So, when conditions are not optimal for grass, weeds will gain a foothold.

4. Fungus Problems

Invasive fungi thrive in wet warm conditions. If the grass is kept wet during the summer heat, a variety of fungal species can start growing and impact the health of the lawn. Apart from large mushroom patches, you’ll know fungus is affecting the lawn if the grass turns reddish-orange or brown.  

5. Compacted Soil

Excess moisture from a lawn sprinkler system can cause soil to shift and compact together. The more compacted the soil, the more difficult it is for carbon dioxide to penetrate the surface and reach plant roots. If soil is too hard, roots may also have trouble breaking through and growing deeper. Compaction also makes it more difficult for water to penetrate and therefore increases runoff and waste.

It isn’t always easy knowing how much water your grass needs. That’s why Irrigation Tech takes pride in developing state-of-the-art lawn sprinkler systems for homeowners throughout Monroe and surrounding Counties. To protect your turf and budget, these specialists will provide a residential irrigation system that delivers the right amount of water. Visit them online to learn more about their custom sprinkler system installation. To schedule an irrigation installation or request an estimate, call (585) 225-0380.