During the summer months here in the Mile High City our lawns take a beating from the sun. Watering habits can make or break a lawn that is experiencing heat or drought stress. We tend to have lawns made of cool-season grasses in Colorado. Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and tall fescue are the most common types you will see. These grasses grow well in our climate, especially during the spring and fall. During the spring and fall your lawn will require less water or resources and will need to be mowed often. During the summer cool season grasses need some TLC.
The Do’s For Healthy Watering Habits:
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One inch of water per week – To achieve this, have your watering schedule set to 15-20 minutes per zone, three times a week. This allows deep watering that will help the grass stay hydrated during periods of drought or extended heat.
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Early morning watering – Watering at this time rather than the evening is beneficial in more ways than one. Watering at night can subject the lawn to disease from the blades being wet for an extended period of time. Daytime watering isn’t recommended because it is a waste of resources. The sunshine causes the water droplets to evaporate before reaching the soil. These issues are easily avoided with morning watering.
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Cultivated soil – Deep watering is only beneficial if the soil has proper drainage. Otherwise the lawn becomes waterlogged. This can be extremely detrimental to your lawn. Breaking up the soil with an aeration service in the spring is one way you can prepare your lawn for the upcoming season.
The Don’ts For Healthy Watering Habits:
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Frequent shallow watering – Even when watering is done at the right time and in healthy soil, the frequency and duration of watering is equally important. No matter what there will be water lost to evaporation. If watering happens daily but for only 5 minutes or less most of that water is lost to evaporation and never makes it to the root system of the lawn.
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Watering a dormant lawn – Despite our best efforts mother nature has the final say. There can be periods of time when it is just too hot for a lawn to maintain in the growing phase. The blades will shrivel and appear brown so the roots can conserve resources until favorable conditions return. Watering a lawn that has gone dormant can harm your lawn because it will make it react as if favorable conditions are returning. If the conditions are still unfavorable the lawn will be wasting resources and unable to be sustained.
All this said, each lawn is unique. There are different landscapes, irrigation equipment, and financial situations that affect what is best for an individual lawn. Some experimentation will help each lawn lover fine tune their understanding of their lawn’s needs.
Reach out to Erbert Lawns:
During the summer Erberts Lawns offers Revive treatments to aid in nourishing lawns and strengthen them through the summer heat. With this soil conditioner your lawn will experience better water retention and you’ll see the total on your water bill go down! This treatment is used in conjunction with our Weed Control & Fertilization program. Our program addresses two of the main components of lawn care by providing consistent and on time applications of high quality fertilizer and weed control. This program is tailored to what a lawn needs at different times of the year. A well fed, deeply watered, and weed free lawn is surely to be beaming in a deep green color. Call or text (303-948-6631) Erbert Lawns today to your lawn on the path to be the best on the block this summer!
