How To Tell If Your Grass Isnt Getting Enough Water
There are several tell-tale signs that you need to water your lawn. Its simple as can be, but if your once-vibrant green lawn has taken on a gray shade, you need to water. Curled grass blades are another indicatorit means your grass is thirsty.
If youre unsure, consider tackling one of two tests. For the step test, simply walk on your lawn. If your lawn is well-watered, your grass should spring right back up where youve stepped. If it doesnt, its lacking moisture, so it needs water.
The screwdriver test is another classic. See if you can drive a long-bladed screwdriver 6 inches into the soil. If you cant push the tool down that far or you meet a lot of resistance, its time to water.
Additional Water Restriction Information
- Southwest Florida Water Management District Water Restriction
- Polk County Ordinance No. 04-07, adopted Feb. 18, 2004 – Year-round water conservation measures and water shortage ordinance.
- Polk County Ordinance No. 09-050, Amended Ordinance No. 04-07, section 8 and section 9 on Aug. 1, 2009.
- Section 8 was amended to provide for enforcement through the Polk County code enforcement special magistrate.
- Section 9 was amended to provide for penalties and a method to address violations that are irreparable or irreversible in nature providing for severability, providing for an effective date.
The jurisdiction of Polk County includes lands located in both the Southwest Florida Water Management District and the South Florida Water Management District. The majority of the population in Polk and the majority of public water supplies and domestic wells serving Polk’s population are currently located within the SWFWMD water service area. To be consistent to one set of year-round conservation measures and when necessary, one consistent set of temporary water shortage restrictions on a county-wide basis, Polk County has adopted the related rules to follow from those of SWFWMD. It is the duty of county governmental and law enforcement officials for enforcement of these rules.
Wasteful and unnecessary water use is prohibited, which includes:
Watering At The Wrong Time
To water well, timing is everything. Water in the early morning between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Midday watering leads to wasteful evaporation, while nighttime watering causes droplets to cling to grass overnight, increasing the chance of lawn diseases.
A Dual Outlet Electronic Water Timer will prove handy for those mornings you are away or want to sleep in. Just program the start time, frequency and duration of watering, and let the timer take care of the rest. The dual outlets make it easy to hook up two hoses at once and program separate schedules for different parts of the yard. We suggest attaching a Flexogen Super Duty Hose, as it easily curves around the yard without kinking and connects to a spigot without leaking saving water and money.
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How To Apply Online
As District Hall and the Operation Centre is currently closed to visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you can apply for your lawn sprinkling permit online.
| Step 2 | Complete the application form and email it to us: | Complete the application form and email it, along with an electronic copy of your nematode receipt if applicable to: |
| Step 3 | After receiving your application, we will email you a web link to pay the $52 fee online by credit card. Once we receive your payment, we will email your permit. This step can take 1-3 days. | Within 1-3 days of receiving your application, we will email your permit |
Sprinkler Watering Tips For All Seasons
Use the cycle-and-soak methodThe cycle-and-soak sprinkler irrigation method allows soil to absorb water slowly and reduces the risk of runoff. Heres how it works:
- Water 3 times a day
- 1 hour apart
- 4 minutes for each watering
- Water before sunrise May through October
Drip irrigation is usually needed less frequently than sprinkler irrigation. See our drip watering tips for details.
Don’t water on windy or rainy daysWinds can send sprinkler water in unintended directions, saturating the sidewalk more than the lawn. Watering during rainy periods can cause soil over-saturation and wasteful runoff. Shut off the sprinklers on windy or rainy days and save as much as 500 gallons of water a day.
What to do if you have brown spotsIf you notice brown spots in your lawn, check your sprinklers to see if any of the heads are broken or twisted. Also, check to see that your sprinklers are popping up 4 inches above the grass. You may water by hand with a hose. To break down surface tension and allow for better water absorption, add a tablespoon of liquid soap to a gallon of water and drench the brown spots with the mixture.
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How Much Water Should I Use
Remember that you dont need to worry about watering every day. Grass needs about an inch to an inch and a half of water each week, either from rainfall or irrigation.
Water the lawn until the top six or eight inches of soil is wet, which should give the grass the inch of water it needs. You can apply this inch in a single session or spaced out over two half-inch watering sessions during the week.
Seasonal Watering Schedules And Watering Group Map
Seasonal watering schedules| Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday | Monday-Saturday |
Assigned watering groups are mandatory for all Las Vegas Valley Water District customers. This map depicts watering group boundaries for Watering Group A from northbound U.S. highway 95 with Kyle Canyon Road and Grand Teton called out within this watering group, area west of Interstate 215 West Beltway to West Cheyenne Avenue. Watering Group B boundaries are West Cheyenne Avenue, area west of Interstate 215 West Beltway, Summerlin Parkway, West Vegas Drive and North Rancho Drive. Watering Group C boundaries are Summerlin Parkway, area west of Interstate 215 West Beltway to West Charleston Boulevard. Watering Group D boundaries are West Charleston Boulevard, area west of Interstate 215 West Beltway and Desert Inn Road. Watering Group E boundaries are Desert Inn Road, area west of Interstate 215 West Beltway and Tropicana Avenue. Watering Group F boundaries are Tropicana Avenue, area west of Interstate 215 West Beltway past South Fort Apache Road, and West Sunset Boulevard. Watering Group A boundaries also include West Sunset Boulevard, area west of South Fort Apache Road and West Wigwam Avenue, and West Windmill Lane. Watering Group B boundaries also include West Wigwam Avenue and West Windmill Lane, South Fort Apache Road, West Cactus Avenue and area south of West Cactus Avenue area of South Interstate 15 and Saint Rose Parkway to Interstate 215.
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Fountains Car Washing And Pressure Washing
- There are no specific restrictions on fountains, car washing and pressure washing.
- Commercial car washes, including mobile detailing businesses, may still operate on any day.
These and other water uses should be conducted as efficiently as possible, such as using a shutoff nozzle on each hose to adhere to the general restriction prohibiting wasteful water use.
Proper Lawn Watering For A Greener Lawn In The Lehigh Valley Or Buxmont Pa
If you have more questions about watering your lawn, were here to lend an ear and help you answer those questions. At Joshua Tree, we view lawn care as a partnership between us and our clients. Were doing everything we can on our end to ensure your lawn is healthy and green but it also takes some help on your end, including proper watering.
We are always available to help make that process easier and ensure that you know what your lawn needs to thrive. Theres a lot of misinformation out there but were here to help you set the record straight.
If youd like to find out more about our three lawn care program options so that your lawn can receive the best possible care, contact us for a free consultation or give us a call at 610-365-2200 so that we can answer any questions.
Ready to get started?
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Stage : Residential Lawn Watering Allowed
- Even-numbered addresses: Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 4am to 9 am
- Odd-numbered addresses: Thursday and Sunday mornings, 4am to 9am
- Watering trees, shrubs, and flowers is permitted any day, from 4am to 9am if using a sprinkler, or any time if hand watering or using drip irrigation. All hoses must have an automatic shut-off device.
Why You Should Water Your Lawn
Grass may not be as difficult to maintain as a vegetable garden, but if you want to keep your yard looking green and gorgeous, you cant just treat it with benign neglect. Aerating, seeding, and watering your lawn are all part of keeping your curb appeal intact.
When you dont give your lawn enough water, it grows with shallow roots, explains Don Botts, the president of Quality All-Care Services, in Bonner Springs, KS. This can stunt the growth of your grass and make it harder for your lawn to survive severe temperatures or disease.
If you stop watering your lawn entirely, warns Chris Bartells, owner of Green Mountain Turf Sprinkler Repair in Lakewood, CO, youll start to notice brown patches emerging in a matter of weeks, as the grass begins to lose moisture.
Pretty soon, your lawn will be more brown than it is green, the soil will harden, making it harder for water to penetrate it when you do water it, and will likely need a reseeding if you ever plan on restoring it to its former glory, Bartells says.
There is one exception to the watering rule: If you live in a climate where it rains regularly or youre going through a rainy spell, its OK to skip out on watering your lawnit can actually be more harmful to your grass to overwater, increasing the risk of grass disease.
That said, you probably need to water your lawn, so lets talk about how to do it the right way.
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Misconception #: Watering My Lawn By Hand Is The Best Method
Watering your lawn by hand can be deceiving. It seems like youre getting ample water everywhere but you may actually be causing it to pool in certain areas or even run off. Oftentimes a lawn that is watered solely by hand is not receiving as much as you think.
The best method to water your lawn is to use sprinklers that mimic slow, soaking rain. Hand watering works fine for very small patches of grass where youve planted new grass seed or for container plants but when it comes to your lawn as a whole, stick to sprinklers for the best results.
Watering The Wrong Amount
While overwatering is a common mistake, it happens to be one of the most detrimental. Unless watering newly planted grass seed, dont water every day.
Frequent, shallow watering wastes water and money. It also leads to a number of lawn problems, including diseases, insect infestations and damage from heat and cold. On the other hand, watering longer but less frequently, deep watering, produces deep roots that mean lawns can better survive periods of drought. The ideal watering schedule is once or twice per week, for about 25 to 30 minutes each time.
Taking care of a lawn doesnt have to be an overwhelming, all-consuming task. Once all the tips and tricks are in your back pocket, it will be easy to come up with a routine that results in a gorgeous green lawn.
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How To Tell If Your Lawn Has Been Watered Enough
There are some simple tricks that will determine if a lawn is receiving enough water. First, does it look healthy? If it looks healthy, then it probably is which means stick to what you are doing. Another way to determine if your lawn needs to be watered is to submerge a screwdriver into the grass. If it easily sinks 6 to 7 inches, then your lawn is receiving an adequate amount of water each week. If not, it is probably time to make a change to your watering routine.
Be ready for changing weather and be aware of when a lawn needs more feeding and fertilizing. Give lawns an organic fertilizer and compost in fall and spring and cut back on watering when dry days turn to rainy ones.
If you see mushrooms growing in your grass, it is most likely due to overwatering. The best next step is to decrease the amount of watering until the mushrooms are gone.
How Much To Water Your Lawn
Watering the proper amount is criticaloverdo it, and your grass, your water bill, and the environment will suffer. The amount of water you need is generally 1 to 1.5 inches per week, but it can vary depending on your grass type, the climate you live in, your soil type, and the age of your lawn.
Established Lawns
In general, you want the top 6-8 inches of soil to be moist, but not soggywhich translates to 1 to 1.5 inches per week. Watering deeply, but infrequently, leads to stronger root development and drought-resistance than watering briefly every day. You can break up these waterings into twice a week during most of the year, or three times a week during the hot summer months.
Newly Seeded or Sodded Lawns
To encourage proper growth, newly seeded or sodded lawns need moisture in the top inch of their soil, but not so much that they turn soggy. Instead of watering a few times a week, you will need to take a mister and gently spray the newly seeded areas once to two times a day, depending on the weather.
As the seeds germinate, keep the top 2 inches of soil moist. Once the grass grows to a 3-inch mowing height, you can reduce watering to twice a week. Then, you should soak the soil down 6-8 inches, like you would an established lawn.
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St Johns River Water Management District
During Daylight Standard Time, you can water twice a week.
- For odd-numbered houses, the days are Wednesday and Saturday.
- For even-numbered houses, the days are Thursday and Sunday.
- Businesses can water on Tuesday and Fridays.
During Eastern Standard Time, odd-numbered houses can water on Saturday, even-numbered on Sunday and businesses on Tuesday.
- You may not water after 10 AM or before 4 PM.
- Each zone can be watered for no more than one hour.
Note: There are exceptions for newly planted lawns and application of fertilizers and pesticides.
Counties in St. Johns River Water Management District
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Alachua |
When To Water Your Lawn
Before you even think about hitting the grass with a steady spray of water, youll want to make sure you know the best time of day to do it. Although many folks assume night time is best, most experts will tell you thats a myth.
There are a lot of people who are surprised to find out that watering your lawn at the wrong time of day can have such an impact, says Botts. Watering at night often means that water will sit on your grass overnight, which can lead to disease.
Another no-no? Watering in the hottest part of the day. Although you may think your thirsty lawn wants a drink midday, the heat will cause evaporation to happen quickly, before water has had a chance to reach the roots of your grass.
The best time of day to water is in the morning, if possible some time between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., Botts says.
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Rules Homeowners Should Be Aware Of Before Watering Their Lawns
PRINCE GEORGEWith this heatwave, many of us might also be concerned about our lawns. But in the city of Prince George, there some restrictions in place to make sure that theres enough water to go around.
Record breaking temperatures, staying cool and hydrated is a top priority. But, so may be our lawns health. Its important to consider how much water is being used to make sure theres enough to go around. Whether thats turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, running the laundry machine at full load, or limiting shower times to a minimum, theres many ways to save water.
But we also need to consider how we use water outside our homes We all want our grass to look as a green as possible, but here in the city of Prince George there are some rules you have to follow.
The city has a few restrictions in place that apply year-round for watering your lawn. These restrictions were in place as part of a 10-year water conservation plan that the city approved in 2016.
In Prince George, homeowners can only water their lawns on specific days and times.
If your house address is an even number, you can water on even days. If its an odd number, you can water on odd days. But, youre not allowed to water your lawns on any day between 12PM-5PM.
However if you live in the western acres near to the north of highway 16, you cannot water your lawns between 8AM-5PM.
Not following these rules could land you a $100 fine. (
We Can All Do Our Part
Florida is implementing these restrictions in hopes of saving the fragile Florida ecosystem. Tighter water restrictions are being discussed if the current restrictions in place do not help the water situation.
Conservation should be on the minds of all Florida residents—keeping the state both beautiful, livable and environmentally friendly.
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