Does Your Lawn Need Water?
Adjust your sprinklers (or turn them off) for the changing weather. Let the rain do the work! Don't pay for what you don't need.
Recently, I've seen people watering their lawns. Not just irrigating but letting the water run into the gutter. It has been a dry, dry winter so far. I was reading a blog the other day that said “46% chance of rain this week. That means everyone needs to pray, meditate, dance, wash their car or whatever your magic trick is that makes it rain”. There is more you can do than pray for rain. You can save the water we already have through conservation.
So, the question is "Does your lawn need water"?
The water from fog and dew are watering opportunities for the grass. Bermuda grass is dormant and will not green up with water. The other grasses have slowed their growth for the winter. Remember the more you irrigate the more you mow the lawn.
At this time of the year, your lawn needs very little irrigation. Technically speaking, the evapotranspiration is very, very low. That means that the plant is using and losing very little water. Why is the plant losing and using very little water, you ask? In the winter, the day length is short and the temperature is low.
So, how do you determine if your lawn needs water?
1. An easy method is to walk across your lawn, turn around and look for your footprints. If you see your footprints, then you need to irrigate. If you do not see your footprints, then you do not need to irrigate.
2. Another method is to take a shovel or trowel and insert it into the ground 2-3 inches. In most cases if it inserts easily the soil is moist. If you want, take a look at the soil. Is it moist?
3. You can use a general month to month lawn watering guide for the Sacramento Valley. It has been developed by the University using years of Et data. Click here for the chart.
4. If you are a science geek and love math, you can calculate the Et for your lawn. Click here to learn about Et.
If your lawn needs water, please irrigate it properly for the season. And remember, water on the sidewalk and in the gutter is not watering your lawn. The flower beds may need water but that is another story.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Drip Irrigation
Drip irrigation can significantly reduce water waste and be used successfully in any part of your landscape not planted with a lawn or groundcover. Drip emitters apply moisture directly into the root zone of plants, minimizing evaporation of water from the soil surface between plants. Soaker hoses, drip tape, porous pipe, mini-sprinklers, and laser tubing are all examples of drip systems.
“Smart” irrigation controller
These devices automatically program a prescribed number of minutes onto your irrigation controller, based on real-time or historical data. Seasonal adjustments are made automatically. Any irrigation controller is better than none.
Water early in the morning
Water before or shortly after sunrise to avoid water loss from soil evaporation, which otherwise would occur during the heat of the day. If your controller is automatic, remember to check to periodically. Sometimes the battery dies or sprinkler head are broken.
Repair your system
Both sprinkler and drip irrigation systems should be checked regularly for broken or inoperative components and leaks that may otherwise go undetected. Examples are clogged nozzels, worn nozzels, tilted sprinkler heads and broken heads.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Avoid overwatering
Overwatering established landscape plants is more common than underwatering. While newly planted ornamental plants require frequent light irrigations due to small compact root systems, established plants should not be watered everyday. They do much better with deep and infrequent irrigation.
Know how much water to apply and when to apply it
Become familiar with the water needs of plants growing in your climate and micro-climate. A straightforward approach to help you apply the right amount of water to your landscape when it is most needed is to use the "feel test". Get your hands dirty! Dig a small hole 6 to 12 inches deep. Grab a handful of the removed soil and squeeze. Soil that falls apart easily is a little too dry and should be irrigated. If a lot of water oozes out, wait a few days before you water.
Mulch
Apply 3 to 4 inches of mulch on the top of soil around your landscape plants.Mulch reduces soil evaporation, controls weeds, reduces erosion, buffers soil temperature, and reduces compaction. It is important to recognize that organic mulches decompose over time and need to be supplemented regularly to remain effective.
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Trees are our most important garden asset. They provide shade, clean the air, provide habitat for wildlife, they are beautiful and increase property values.
Trees need to be the first plant we consider saving during the drought.
A new way of irrigating trees has been developed by the University of California. As you see in the above picture you will circle the tree with a drip line or soaker hose to the edge of the canopy. You can purchase supplies from your local garden center or hardware store.
To get the deep watering needed for trees, you will need to run the drip line for several hours but only irrigate every 2-4 weeks. The water needs to penetrate the soil 2-3 feet deep. You can calculate exactly how much water to use by going to our website.
To learn more about tree watering go to our website.
http://cecolusa.ucanr.edu/Master_Gardeners/
- Author: Gerry L Hernandez
Irrigate according to the season
- Know your watering needs
- Adjust watering to the season, use chart in Lawn Watering brochure
- Water early
- Water slowly
- Water deeply
- Use the above chart for your lawn and then reduce it by 25%
Benefit:
- Appropriate watering slows plant growth
- Promotes plant health
- Reduces pruning and mowing
- It is estimated that overwatering causes 85% of all landscape problems