Home Irrigation: Is a Sprinkle a Day Necessary?

When the weather heats up, it seems the logical solution for your lawn is a good soaking. Is that excess water actually beneficial, though? Over watering causes fungus, especially if the watering occurs late in the evening or overnight since the water puddles on grass blades and on the ground surface. Knowing how to water is much more beneficial to your lawn than simply turning on the sprinklers with a timer. Tampa lawn care experts, Apex, explain.

• Waste Not, Want Not: How often have you driven around the neighborhood during a rainstorm and noticed your neighbors have their sprinklers on? Using an automatic sprinkler system is wonderful if it never rains. Florida’s unpredictable weather patterns often deem a timer frivolous. Check your local weather weekly before determining how long to water, or whether you need to water at all that week.
• Type of Sprinkler Systems: In-ground sprinkler systems are specifically designed to water your entire lawn. Some sprinklers spray long, straight flumes of water while other “pop-up” sprinklers have a much shorter, circular range. Depending on the size of your lawn, you may have several separate zones that run in a series. Watch each zone to ensure you have no broken sprinkler heads, lines, or extreme wet areas that would signify a problem.
• Watch Their Aim: Ensure your sprinklers water your lawn and not half the road, driveway, or sidewalk since that wastes water and proves unfriendly to pedestrians. If you have a running grass, such as St. Augustine, confirm the sprinkler heads are not blocked by crossed shoots of St. Augustine. Grass can grow quickly and block a sprinkler head’s reach in between waterings.
• Watch The Amount of Water: Use a watering gauge or a shallow tin can to measure how long it takes for one inch of water to accumulate on your lawn. Once each zone accumulates one inch of water, set the timer to transfer to the next zone in your yard.

Apex Pest Control wants customers to understand the role water plays in a beautiful lawn. Overwatering can damage grass, spread fungus, and wash away any herbicide or pesticide placed on the lawn. Keep your lawn looking its best with the proper amount of water and expert advice from your Tampa lawn care professionals at Apex. Please call (866) 675-4070 if you need help with your lawn.