Simple Lawn Irrigation Tips

Whether you choose to use a complex automatic sprinkler system, or water the lawn by hand, there are a few basic principles you should follow.

• Regularly monitor the condition of the lawn and adjust the amount of watering it receives accordingly.
• Water in the morning. The time of day you water the lawn is extremely important. Watering first thing in the morning means that you don’t lose moisture to evaporation as you would later in the heat of the day. If you water in the evening, you expose your lawn to the risk of damage by fungus, mildew or other diseases.
• Choose a grass species that is suitable for your climate and soil type. A little internet research, or consulting with a friendly expert at your local gardening center, will tell you which is best. If you live in a dry climate, where water conservation is a significant issue, choose a lawn species which requires less watering.
• Know your soil type and how well it absorbs water. If you water your lawn faster than your soil can absorb the moisture, the water will simply run away and be wasted, or cause soil erosion. If necessary, you can increase your soil’s capacity to absorb water by adding compost or mulch.