Believe it or not, there’s more to watering your lawn than just turning on your sprinklers. When watering your Kansas City lawn, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to help you get the most out of your efforts. The Green Head Turf gang put together a list of our favorite strategies. Hopefully one or more of these watering tips will come in handy for you this summer season.
How to Water Your Yard
Sure, you can just turn the hose on and let it go, but with the clay soil that is so prevalent in the Kansas City area, a little finesse can make a big difference.
Cycle & Soak – Clay soil soaks up water slowly because it is so dense. If you water all at once, you may waste water through runoff because it can’t absorb that much water that quickly. Instead, try the Cycle and Soak method. Run all sprinklers in two 17-minute intervals. The first watering will soak into the clay soil and loosen it up making it more able to receive more water in the second soaking.
Zone Watering – Another helpful watering tip is to water long and deeply as opposed to lightly and often. Deep watering promotes healthy roots. Light watering will promote weeds and a weaker root system for your turf. Plus, by watering deeply a couple of times a week, you won’t have to water your lawn as often. Zone watering is another strategy that helps with deeper watering. With zone watering, instead of watering your entire yard at once, you water each different zone for 35 minutes at a time allowing for a deeper soaking.
Related Read: KC Weed Watch – A Homeowner’s Guide to Getting Rid of Weeds
When to Water Your Lawn
When you water your lawn can make a big difference too. Homeowners tend to water at the wrong time. If you water during the middle of the day when temperatures are the highest, you will lose some of your water due to evaporation. If you water late at night, you create the perfect conditions for a fungus to grow (warm, dark, and moist). So when is the best time to water? The key window is between 4 am and 8 am. Set your timer for early morning for the best results.
How Much to Water in KC
Here in the Midwest, our lawns need about one inch of water per week. If you’re not sure how much sprinkler time that translates to, here’s a simple way to find out. Place an empty tuna can in your yard in your sprinkler’s path. Turn the sprinkler on for a half hour or so and then check to see how much water is in the bottom of the can. When there is an inch of water, that’s how long you should set your sprinkler to water for. It may be an hour, which you can break down into two half hour periods per week.
We hope these tips will help you get a green, healthy, weed-free lawn this summer. If you need professional help, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Green Head Turf Services at (913) 645-9586.
