This is a topic everyone seems to have an opinion about and they all differ as much as their preferred choice of irrigation. Some feel so strongly about their viewpoint you can sometimes hear the pitter-patter of tiny neighborly feuds. So, for today’s article the aim is to finally put an end to all the bickering. All the research has been done extensively for you, and you can now make your own informed decision, without causing any more rustled feathers.
Don’t water everyday
Watering your lawn everyday is entirely unnecessary. Your natural rainfall should already be taking care of most of your watering needs. It is only in times of severe heat and drought that Mother Nature needs an extra hand or if you’ve only recently planted a new lawn. Even in these cases, you should wait until the grass turns a dull green color and you can actually see your footprints remain visible when walking across your lawn.
The perfect timing
When you have to water your lawn, the best time to do so is between 6 – 10 am. That’s the time there is the least wind and sun that encourages the evaporation of the water, which effectively renders your irrigation attempt more or less useless
How much sprinkling
When you are using sprinklers for your Miami landscaping irrigation, you need to apply about ½ an inch of water twice a week. This can be hard to measure, so a very clever someone devised an inexpensive and ingenious way in order to determine when it’s time to apply a thorough watering. All you need are a few empty tuna cans. Place them around the sprinkling zone and see how much time lapses before reaching ½ an inch. This shouldn’t take longer than 15 – 30 minutes depending on the type of sprinkler you are using. Furthermore, you can ensure that your sprinkler is sprinkling water evenly across the desired patch of lawn by comparing the water levels within each tuna can. It’s as simple as that.
It’s dormant not dead
You’ve come home only to find your once beautiful lawn has withered away to small patches of brown straw and tiny islands of desert. This (ironically) especially happens when trying to get your Miami landscaping up to par. Your immediate reaction may range from accepting the sad fact that your lawn will never be the same and the urge to grab every watering hose, bucket and form of irrigation system you might have. There is no reason to get totally discouraged or drown your lawn in H2O. The truth is that your lawn is not dead. Lawns are amazingly resilient and it takes absolutely no effort on their part to lay brown and in dry, dormant conditions for at least 2 entire months. As soon as rainfall comes and cooler temperatures return, your lawn will be back to its good looking self in no time. The only glitch in this natural system you could possibly encounter is when you put pets and children into the mix. Dormant lawns don’t like too much foot (or paw) traffic. This could actually damage your dormant lawn. In cases where the lawn might be unintentionally trampled by little feet, ensure that you water deeply once or twice every week with only ½ an inch of water each time.
So you thought built-in lawn sprinkler systems are best?
Surprise! This might be a good way to water your grass, and although it’s a bit pricey initially, it is an efficient system which will pay for itself in the long run. This is an especially good option for a home-owner who plans to stay in a house for many years to come. But there is a well kept inexpensive secret; a sprinkler connected to a normal garden hose is a great choice. The revolving sprinkler shoots out water horizontally and at a very high velocity. This makes it much more resilient against wind, since those spray water straight up.
Just remember to nurture your lawn
Although the pulsating sprinkler should be your second choice as an irrigation system, you should always remember to take care and nurture your newly planted lawn. The intense water stream can easily wash away the seeds. You should only start using these when the grass has taken roots. Only use oscillating sprinklers to ensure the water lands much softer on the vulnerable seedlings, and even then stick to the rules and water only twice a week MAX.
Time it
You don’t need a fancy sprinkling or irrigation system to manage when and how often you should be watering your lawn; you can still do it the good old fashioned way. Have you got an oven with a timer at home or even one of those small, nifty kitchen timers? After you’ve done your research, measured your empty tuna cans and figured out where and when you have to water your lawn for a specific amount of time, all you need to do is switch on your irrigation system (whichever one you’re using), turn on your timer as a reminder and simply go along your daily business – whether bathing the children, cooking dinner or simply relaxing in front of your favorite TV show. This way you will ensure that your lawn is always watered the exact right amount and as often as is necessary.
Test it
Still unsure whether you are watering your lawn correctly and as often as necessary? There is a very simple test to ensure your lawn is in tip top watering shape. All you need is an average 6” screwdriver. The trick is to see whether you can push the entire 6” screwdriver into your lawn; if you find it hard or it simply won’t budge, then you’re not watering your lawn enough.