The greatest percentage, up to 35 percent, of water we use for non-agricultural use goes to watering our lawns. Your lawn only needs water twice a week and less if it rains. Overwatering our lawns can not only be costly and wasteful, but can also cause damage to the roots of healthy grass. Knowing how much to water your lawn will diminish these issues that many face in the summertime and help conserve water.
To help you know how much water your lawn is getting, we recommend that you accurately measure using a lawn gauge provided by Panhandle Groundwater Conservation District, which can be picked up at numerous locations around the district (see below).
Using the Lawn Sprinkler Gauge
S Randomly place sprinkler gauge on your lawn and run the sprinkler for 15 minutes. Record the amount of water collected in the gauge.
S Repeat and take measurements at three or four different locations around the lawn.
S Calculate the average of all measurements and multiply average by four.
This will tell how many inches per hour your sprinkler applies to your lawn; e.g., if your sprinkler waters 1/8 inch in 15 minutes, the hourly rate is 1/2 inch, which is the ideal rate for proper soil absorption.
How Much to Water
Apply enough water to wet soil to a depth of 4-6 inches. After watering your lawn, determine the depth the water reaches by using a soil probe or screwdriver. Even during the hottest months, one inch of water per week is usually adequate.
When to Water
Stress for your lawn is natural, especially during the summer. When your lawn is ready for water, it will have a grayish cast and footprints will remain in the turf. Wait for these signs of stress to appear before watering. Avoid watering on a windy day, and only water in early morning or late evening to reduce evaporation.
Type of Grass
When choosing what type of grass to plant, it is best to choose a type that is best suited for our area.
S Best Choice: Buffalo grass-normally remains green on as little as 1.5 inches of water per month, even during the summer. Due to deep root systems, 2 or 3 soakings a summer may be sufficient.
S Good Choice: Bermuda grass-requires about one watering a month during the winter and may require 1 to 2 inches per week during the summer.
S Not Recommended: Fescue-this type of grass may require as much as 3 inches a week during the summer and 1 inch per week during the winter.
Choosing low-water or native grasses will save water as well as many hours behind the lawn mower. You can find these grasses and other low-water hybrid grasses at your local lawn and garden center.
Lawn Gauge Distributors
Amarillo-Coulter Gardens, Gebo's, Home Depot-Soncy, Lowes-Tascosa Rd, Home Depot-Georgia, Pete's Greenhosue, Potter Co AgriLife, Pride Home Center, Sutherland's, Walmart-Grand, Walmart-Tascosa Rd
Clarendon-J&W Lumber, Lowes/Ace Hardware
Claude-Keith's Service Center
Groom-Groom Hardware
Miami-Roberts Co AgriLife
Pampa-B&G Rental-Hobart, Bartlett's Hardware, D&C Greenhouse, Frank's Hardware, Gebo's, Gray Co AgriLife, Walmart
Panhandle-Lane's
Shamrock-Bartlett's Hardware
Wheeler Hefley's Hardware
White Deer-Freeman's Grocery, Joel's NAPA, White Deer Supply, PGCD Office
No comments:
Post a Comment