When Watering A Warm
- Zoysia, St. Augustine, bermuda and centipede grasses develop deep root systems, making them better able to withstand drought.
- In general, warm-season grass types require less water than cool-season grasses. Where you live determines how frequently you need to water because of differences in rainfall and summer weather conditions. Grass requires the most water in conditions of heat, drought, low humidity, and high winds.The type of soil you have also plays a part: Clay soil holds water longer and can be watered less frequently than sandy soil, which drains very quickly .
There are tons of ways to water your lawn, from sprinklers to smart watering solutions. Each has their own sets of benefits, so choose the solution that works best for you and your lawn. Below are a few methods to consider.
Pulsating sprinklers : These shoot water horizontally at a high velocity so the water isnt affected by wind.
Hose-end sprinklers: Great for small- to medium-size lawns. There are many different types, so you can choose the one that fits your lawn best.
In-ground sprinklers: These can deliver water in the most efficient pattern. Choose sprinklers that are low to the ground and use a horizontal spray pattern for best results.
When Should I Apply Pre
Pre-emergent prevents weeds from growing by killing seeds under the soil. To work properly, pre-emergent solutions need to be applied before seeds have a chance to start growingusually in mid or late spring .
Applying pre-emergent in mid-April through May will help prevent pesky summer weeds from growing, including crabgrass.
Avoid applying pre-emergent too earlythe chemical is generally effective for about 3 months after application. If applied too early, the chemical may lose its effectiveness during the heat of the summer weed season.
Do you need help with your lawn this spring? Give us a call at 801-226-2261 for a free quote and answers to your lawn care questions.
General Rules For Watering Lawns In Utah
- Longer watering time is required if you are using heads of rotary nozzle style as they shoot over a longer distance compared to pop-up fan spray heads. Rotary nozzle heads also tend to be affected more by water pressure and wind.
- Changes in water pressure and wind change throughout the day. It can have a serious effect on the water coverage. The lowest water pressure and windiest time often occurs in the morning.
- Since more people water during hotter months, it means that there is less water pressure. This is why it is best to supplement with hand watering.
- During mid and spring season, it is important to clean your sprinkler systems filters that include those with individual heads.
- Compacted and hard soil doesnt allow water penetration. Compaction is often not uniformed, with water running off compacted areas and soaking into more porous soil. It will result to dead spots as well as overwatered grass adjacent to one another.
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When Are You Allowed To Water Your Lawn This Summer
SALT LAKE CITY The Utah Department of Natural Resources released an updated guide to help homeowners and businesses figure out how often they can water their thirsty lawns this summer.
Every county in the state is now under a state watering recommendation for the first time this year.
Utah has been in the grip of a historic drought. Last month Gov. Spencer J. Cox declared a state of emergency because of the drought conditions.
The declaration activated the Drought Response Committee and triggered increased monitoring and reporting.
Even though storms brought rain and snow last week, the DNR watering guide added 15 additional counties to the one irrigation per week category.
The guide takes extensive data based on weather patterns and evapotranspiration rates and simplifies it into how many days per week to water grass based on conditions in each county, said Shelby Ericksen, the divisions conservation coordinator. Keep in mind these are general county recommendations, and people need to monitor their landscape and make adjustments as needed.
Check with your water provider to see local restrictions.
The initial water guide listed Washington County as the only one with a watering recommendation.
As temperatures and storms dropped off DNR added more counties to the water recommendations list.
Water Conservation Its Up To You
The average 6 station sprinkler system uses over 2,500 gallons of water per watering. Eliminating one or two waterings can reduce your usage by thousands of gallons each month.
To check if your lawn needs water, step on it. If it springs back when you step off, it doesnt need water. If there are spots turning a bluish/grey cast, these spots need water, not the entire lawn. Use a hose and sprinkler to water these areas. If pulling hose is not an option, only water the station that is dry. Over time the roots will grow deeper requiring less water to be applied.
Check to see if you are watering sidewalks, driveways, streets or gutters, and adjust the sprinkler heads as needed.
Remember, it is best to water in the evenings and mornings when the sun is not out and temperatures are not hot. This will minimize evaporation, utilizing more of the water. Some areas of the county have windy conditions consistently in the mornings, avoid watering during these times.
Cut back watering on cool or rainy days. Set your lawn mower blades no less than 3 during the warmest part of the season. Longer grass means less evaporation. Mulching your lawn reintroduces moisture and nutrients which aids in moisture retention. Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. This will also reduce evaporation
Always water deep and infrequently instead of shallow and frequently.
Suggested Water Schedule
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How Often Should You Water Your Grass In Utah
How Much Water?
Your grass should ideally receive at least an inch of water or more all year long whether it’s from rain or from your sprinkler system in Salt Lake City. An inch allows the water to soak to a depth of 6 to 8 inches for optimal growing conditions. If you aren’t sure how much an inch is, take a few empty tuna cans and place them in various spots on the lawn. It should take an average of about 30 minutes for your sprinkler system to deliver an inch of water.
Time of Day to Water
The time of day that you water your grass in Salt Lake City matters. It’s ideal to water in the morning, preferably before 10 a.m., because it’s cooler and the roots have more time to absorb the water before the sun evaporates it. If you can’t get it done in the morning, try not to water any later than 6 p.m. because you want the blades of grass to dry before night comes. If your lawn is regularly wet at night, you’ll drastically increase the chances of disease or fungus.
How Often Should I Water?
It depends. If it’s been a rainy week, you might not need to water your lawn at all and can thank nature for taking care of your lawn. If it’s been a few days of sunny skies, your lawn might need a bit more water than usual. You should aim to give your lawn a deep watering two or three times a week instead of watering every day. Daily watering creates a shallow root system which dries quickly and is weak. Your lawn will be stronger and retain water longer with a deep root system.
Mowing Consistency Affect The Right Month To Water
Mowing can also affect the ideal time for when to start watering lawn. If you are moving heavily, which is to say you are cutting the grass while it is short, and your area does not experience winter months, then you will need to start watering much early in the year. You might have your watering cans or pipes ready by February to coincide with the application of fertilizers. Your watering will be mild, which is different from the ordinary April start of watering that requires much water to promote regrowth of the grass.
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Not Watering Long Enough
This goes hand in hand with not watering every day. If you do water every day but only for 15 mins each day, you may think spacing it out will get a consistent amount of water to your grass. Youre wrong. You should be watering less frequently. But you should be watering deeply. Look at that thermometer again. If you are looking at 70-80 degrees you want to get about a half an inch of water onto your lawn. Usually, that means about 15- 20 mins per station with pop up spray heads, and 30-40 mins per station for far shooting rotating pop up sprinklers. If the temp outside is 90-100+ youre looking to get 1/2 3/4. Try 25-35 mins per station with pop up spray heads and 40-60 mins per station for far shooting rotating pop up sprinklers. Your watering time may vary so make sure you are doing some research on how long you need to water to get the appropriate amount of water on your lawn.
When And Why Should I Overseed My Lawn
Because aeration opens up space for new growth in your lawn, the best time to overseed is directly after aerating your lawn. Overseeding allows your lawn to grow thick and strong, which helps discourage weed grasses from growing.
If your lawn is agingand starting to thin out and weaken as a resultoverseeding will help revive your lawn. By adding fresh, new grass to your old lawn through overseeding, your lawn will begin to thicken and regrow in bare problem areas.
To overseed, evenly spread a grass seed mixture over your lawn after aerating.
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Watering In 70 To 80 Degree Weather
- Water 2 to 3 times per week.
- Set watering time to achieve half an inch of water per station each time you water.
- For fan-style pop-up spray heads, like the one pictured here, the average time is 15 to 25 minutes per station .
- Rotary head style systems, the far-shooting rotating kind, average 30 to 40 minutes per station .
- Follow the to determine your exact watering time.
Campus Lawns Will Survive Not Thrive
The University of Utahs lawns have a new lookand it comes with a purpose.
Green grass is giving way to a brownish-yellow hue as the U plays its part to conserve water amidst our current severe drought. This shift in the appearance of campus is an intentional change, with limited water being prioritized away from grass and towards trees, shrubs and planters.
Information released by the U.S. Drought Monitor places 98% of the state of Utah as experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions . A trio of executive orders from Gov. Spencer J. Cox has been issued to restrict water usage in the spirit of conservancy.
In accordance with these statewide and city mandates, the universitys watering windows have been reduced to twice per week in each area. Programmed watering does not happen before 8 p.m. or after 10 a.m. A small number of exceptions have been made to allow for the watering necessary to establish the root system in newer landscaping and other sensitive areas on campus.
Water efficiency is a long-term and ongoing focus in the Facilities Management office. The university has seen an 18% drop in total water usage since 2018, which amounts to around 200 million gallons per year. In one of the fastest-growing and driest states in the nation, these savings are especially impactful. Water efficiency is outpacing growth at the U, allowing for resiliency in expansion.
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Best Time Of Day To Water
- Watering in the morning is good because the grass blades have time to dry.
- You can also water in the late afternoon as long as the grass has a chance to dry before temperatures cool down.
- Dont water at night because the grass blades will stay wet longer, making the lawn more susceptible to fungal infections .
- Dont water when its windy outside.
Check out ourvideofor more watering tips from our lawn specialist:
Why Knowing When To Water The Lawn Is Important
Why does it matter anyway? Utah has been in a drought for a decade, and this year, the snowpack is 25% below average.
A few days ago, Gov. Spencer Cox declared a state of emergency due to continuing drought conditions. For the most part, the announcement is necessary to help farmers and others ask for help if they need it, but it serves as a good reminder for everybody who lives in the beautiful, high desert of Utah.
As he has done in the past, Gov. Cox is asking Utahns to do their part to conserve water.
Weve had a very volatile water year, and unfortunately, recent spring storms are not enough to make up the shortage in our snowpack, Gov. Cox said. Once again, I call on all Utahns households, farmers, businesses, governments and other groups to carefully consider their needs and reduce their water use. We saved billions of gallons last year, and we can do it again.
One of the easiest ways is literally in our own backyard, by waiting to turn on sprinklers and then cutting back watering time as well as how many times each week we water.
The advice from Utah experts is wait as long as possible to water your lawn or until the temperatures are in the mid-70s for several consecutive days.
The Department of Natural Resources said a typical homeowner can save about 3,000 gallons of water simply by cutting back one watering session per week.
Aimee Cobabe contributed to this report.
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When Should Sprinklers Be Turned Off
You should shut off your irrigation system just before temperatures in your region begin to dip below freezing at night. Dont shut off your irrigation system too early. Often homeowners shut their systems down as soon as the fall season arrives because they believe that their lawn requires less water.
When Should I Turn On My Sprinklers And How Much/often Should I Water
Apr 17, 2020 | Lawn Care
For overall lawn health you will want to turn your sprinklers on by the end of April. In the Cedar City climate grass should go dormant in the fall due to cold weather, not because watering was stopped prematurely. In the spring it needs water as soon as it comes out of dormancy. Lack of water in the first few weeks will not kill your grass, but it will prevent the root growth and development that will be needed throughout the rest of the year.
In the spring, a little bit of water goes a long way. The quantity and frequency may be 10% or less of your summer watering but skip it and you will see the consequences all summer long. If your grass doesnt have the spring preparation it needs it will be less tolerant of the summer heat, more susceptible to weeds and bugs, and show a brown/silver tint instead of a deep lush green.
Sprinkler start-up & inspection in 5 simple steps:
1- Inspection the System
Physically inspect your backflow preventor device and each of your valves. Make sure any drains on your backflow device are closed and each valve is closed. Also, make sure any non-automatic drains or faucets on the system are closed.
2- Turn on the Water
Turn your water on slowly. In Cedar City this is generally done by using your 5 water key and opening the stop and waste valve. Make sure the valve is 100% open or it will leak. Allow things to sit for a few minutes and then re-inspect your backflow device and valve boxes to make sure there are no leaks.
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Weekly Lawn Watering Guide
Thank you to all who followed the Weekly Lawn Water Guide last summer! Water-saving actions made a difference, saving billions of gallons during this extreme drought. Keep it up!
Drought continues to impact our state, with some areas implementing restrictions, so check with your local provider. Follow the Weekly Lawn Watering Guide to find customized watering recommendations for your area.
60% of residential water use is used for outdoor irrigation. Eliminating just one watering can save about 3,000 gallons for the average quarter-acre Utah yard with .17 acres of green space. Please look for ways to water efficiently and slow the flow.
Each watering should apply ½ of water. To determine how long your stations should run to apply a ½, we recommend getting a Water Check or doing one yourself. The application rate of a sprinkler system depends on the pressure, spacing, and distribution of water. Below are some general ranges of typical run times based on precipitation rate:
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What Do You Do After You Aerate Your Lawn
What to Do After Aerating Your Lawn Leave the soil plugs on the lawn to decompose and filter back into the holes left by the aeration machine. Apply fertilizer immediately after aerating your lawn to put nutrients into your grass roots. Reseed your lawn, especially in areas of the lawn where the grass is thin.
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Utah Winter Lawn Watering Guide
Watering your lawn in the winter is as important as in any other season, but a little trickier. The importance of watering during the cold months cant be overemphasized, if you want your turf and plants to be healthy come spring. The tricky part is that your watering schedule will depend on Mother Natures schedule. Read on for the best way to care for your lawn during the unpredictable northern Utah winters.
