1) Homeowners can conserve water for their lawns by learning proper watering techniques like watering less frequently but more deeply based on soil type and grass variety. Over-watering can harm lawns more than under-watering.
2) Soil type affects water needs, with clay retaining the most water followed by loam then sandy soil, which needs more frequent watering. Proper fertilizing, mowing, controlling thatch, and aerating soil can help lawns need less water.
3) Water needs vary by grass variety and time of year. During summer, lawns generally need supplemental water but watering drops in cooler seasons with more rain. Irrigation should be adjusted based
1) Homeowners can conserve water for their lawns by learning proper watering techniques like watering less frequently but more deeply based on soil type and grass variety. Over-watering can harm lawns more than under-watering.
2) Soil type affects water needs, with clay retaining the most water followed by loam then sandy soil, which needs more frequent watering. Proper fertilizing, mowing, controlling thatch, and aerating soil can help lawns need less water.
3) Water needs vary by grass variety and time of year. During summer, lawns generally need supplemental water but watering drops in cooler seasons with more rain. Irrigation should be adjusted based
1) Homeowners can conserve water for their lawns by learning proper watering techniques like watering less frequently but more deeply based on soil type and grass variety. Over-watering can harm lawns more than under-watering.
2) Soil type affects water needs, with clay retaining the most water followed by loam then sandy soil, which needs more frequent watering. Proper fertilizing, mowing, controlling thatch, and aerating soil can help lawns need less water.
3) Water needs vary by grass variety and time of year. During summer, lawns generally need supplemental water but watering drops in cooler seasons with more rain. Irrigation should be adjusted based
1) Homeowners can conserve water for their lawns by learning proper watering techniques like watering less frequently but more deeply based on soil type and grass variety. Over-watering can harm lawns more than under-watering.
2) Soil type affects water needs, with clay retaining the most water followed by loam then sandy soil, which needs more frequent watering. Proper fertilizing, mowing, controlling thatch, and aerating soil can help lawns need less water.
3) Water needs vary by grass variety and time of year. During summer, lawns generally need supplemental water but watering drops in cooler seasons with more rain. Irrigation should be adjusted based
Homeowners know how important water is to a healthy Water can be lost when it leaches or filters through the lawn. Water is a limited resource in Texas, and it will soil, especially in coarse-textured sand and loam soils. become more limited as the population grows. Water Both water and nutrients may seep below the root zone rationing programs and rising water prices are already where they are unavailable to plants. Consequently, occurring in some areas of the state. watering deeper than the root zone should be avoided.
Homeowners can conserve a significant amount of
water with no loss in grass quality by learning to water GRASS VARIETIES their lawns properly. Most homeowners drastically over- Using the appropriate grass can make water water their lawns. Over-watering can harm lawn quality management easier and less expensive. Grass species more than under-watering. To establish an irrigation vary significantly in their water needs and drought plan for your lawn, consider soil type, grass variety, resistance (Table 1). Before establishing a new lawn, management practices, and environmental conditions. determine which grass species work best for your location. SOIL TYPE Table 1. Drought tolerance of the common Soil type affects the amount of water a lawn needs. southern turfgrass species. Of the three soil types (clay, loam, and sand), clay soil retains the most water and thus needs watering less Excellent Good Fair Poor often. However, because water seeps into clay soil more Buffalograss Bermudagrass St. Zoysia slowly, it must be applied at lower rates over a longer Augustinegrass matrella* period of time. Sandy soil retains less water than clay Zoysia Centipedegrass Kentucky soil, but less water is needed to properly wet sandy soil. japonica* bluegrass
Therefore, watering sandy soil takes less time than Seashore Ryegrass watering clay soil but must be done more frequently. paspalum Loam soil lies between clay and sandy soil in its ability Tall fescue to hold water. Loam retains a moderate amount of *Can vary depending on the variety. water following irrigation and requires a moderate amount of water.
Water moves very slowly into some soil, especially MANAGEMENT PRACTICES fine-textured clay and loam. If a sprinkler head applies The way you care for your lawn affects the amount of water faster than water can seep into the soil, significant water it will need. You can conserve water by properly water can be lost as run-off. To avoid this problem, use fertilizing, mowing, controlling thatch, reducing soil sprinklers with low application rates and/or irrigate to compaction, and considering the salt content of water in a point just before run-off. Then stop watering. Let the the region. surface dry and then begin watering again. Repeat this process until the soil is wet to the desired depth. Fertilization A good fertilization program provides essential nutrients in the amounts needed by the grass. Proper fertilization promotes healthy plant shoot and root * A ssociate Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, The Texas A&M University System development. The deeper a plant’s root system, the better able it is Table 2. Yearly nitrogen fertilizer requirements to use water held deep within the soil, reducing the for common Texas turfgrasses. need for supplemental watering. Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, may encourage shoot growth Maintenance needs (Pounds of nitrogen but hinder the development of hardy roots. Nutrient Grass species per 1,000 square feet deficiencies are just as bad because they stunt roots and shoots and make the turf more vulnerable to Buffalograss 0–1 disease, insects, weeds and drought. Carpetgrass 1–2
Centipedegrass 1–2 Mowing St. Augustinegrass 2–3 To determine how often to mow, use the “one-third” rule no more than one-third of the leaf area should be Tall fescue 2–3 cut at any one time. Frequent mowing produces thicker, Bluegrass 2–4 denser turf. The denser the grass, the less water will Zoysia 2–3 evaporate from the soil. Also, dense turf is more able to resist weeds. Common bermudagrass 3–5
Hybrid bermudagrass 4–6
Controlling Thatch Thatch, the layer of non-decomposed organic matter The time of year also influences irrigation needs. During found between the soil surface and the base of the the summer, when temperatures are high and days leaves, can slow water movement into the soil and are long, lawns generally need supplemental watering. cause run-off. Thatch accumulates because of heavy The need for additional watering drops from late fall fertilization, improper mowing, and overwatering. through early spring when temperatures become cooler, Topdressing, verticle mowing (dethatching) and the days are shorter, and rain is more frequent. aerification can help control thatch development.
Aerifying the Soil Table 3. Recommended mowing heights for
common Texas turfgrass species. Soil compaction keeps water and air from moving into the soil and reduces plant shoot and root development. Grass species Mowing height (inches) Aerification of compacted soils once or twice a year Buffalograss 2–3 helps break up packed layers to allow air and water to reach plant root systems. Carpetgrass 1–2
Centipedegrass 1–2 Considering the Role of Salt in Soil and Water St. Augustinegrass 2–3 In areas of the state where water is high in salts, Tall fescue 2–3 plant a salt-tolerant grass species, such as Seashore Bluegrass 1–3 Paspalum, bermudagrass, or Zoysia. Water deeply but only occasionally so salt does not accumulate in the soil. Zoysia 0.5–2 High levels of sodium damage soil quality and affect the Common bermudagrass 1–2 ability of water to filter through the soil. Also, salt can Hybrid bermudagrass 0.5–1.5 exacerbate the effect of drought on turfgrass. Contact your county Extension agent for more information.
Environmental Conditions WHEN TO WATER
Environmental conditions affect the water requirements Rather than watering on the same schedule each week, of a lawn. With low humidity, high temperatures, and/ adjust your watering schedule according to the weather. or high winds, water is quickly lost from the soil by Irrigate deeply. Then wait until the grass begins to show transpiration and evaporation (evapotranspiration) and signs of drought stress before watering again. grass will need watering more often. When weather Symptoms of drought stress include grass leaves is cool, humid, and/or less windy, grass will need less turning a dull, bluish color, leaf blades rolling or folding, water. and footprints that remain in the grass after walking across the lawn. To time watering properly, look for the
► 2 area of the lawn that shows water stress first. Water the ► Calculate the average depth of water from all of the entire lawn when that area begins to show symptoms. cans. For example, you have used five cans in your yard. The amount of water found in the cans was as A lawn that is watered deeply should generally be able follows: 0.5 inch, 0.4 inch, 0.6 inch, 0.4 inch, and 0.6 to go 5 to 8 days between waterings. Established lawns inch. Add the depths together and then divide by the with deep, extensive root systems sometimes can be number of cans you used (five in this case). watered less often. However, if soil is less than 5 inches deep, irrigation may need to be more frequent. 0.5 inch + 0.4 inch + 0.6 inch + 0.4 inch + 0.6 inch = 2.5 inches, 5 cans = 0.5 inch of water in 30 minutes Early morning is the best time to water. Wind and ► Use a garden spade or a soil probe to determine how temperatures are usually the lowest of the day, and deeply the soil was wet during the 30-minute time water pressure is generally good. That allows water to period. The probe will easily push through wet soil be applied evenly and with little loss from evaporation. but less easily into dry areas. Watering late in the evening or at night causes leaves to remain wet for an extended period of time, which ► From the amount of water that was applied in the increases the chance for disease. Mid-afternoon 30-minute cycle and the depth that it wet the soil, watering may cause uneven distribution from high you can then determine how long the sprinkler must winds. run to wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches. ► In this example, the system put out .5 inch of HOW MUCH TO WATER water in 30 minutes, wetting the soil 3 inches deep. Therefore, 1 inch of water will need to be applied Thoroughly wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches with each to wet the soil to a depth of 6 inches, giving a total watering. Shallow watering produces weak, shallow- watering time of one hour. rooted grass that is more susceptible to drought stress. In some soils, especially heavy clay, it is difficult to Soil type, sprinkler style and water pressure determine irrigate 6 inches deep. Never apply water to the point of how much water is needed to wet the soil to a depth run-off. Water lost as run-off finds its way to sidewalks of 6 inches and how long a sprinkler must run. Use or cement gutters. If a sprinkler applies water faster the following steps to determine how long to run your than the soil can absorb it, stop irrigating until the sprinkler or irrigation system. surface dries and then resume watering. ► Setfive to six open-top cans randomly on the lawn (cans with short sides such as tuna or cat food cans work best). CHECKING YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM ► Turn There are many different irrigation systems available. the sprinkler head or system on for 30 minutes. Whether you choose an aboveground or underground ► Measure and record the depth of water caught in system, it is important that it is working properly. A each individual can. routine check should be made to ensure that water is being applied where it is needed, in the amount that it is needed, and in a uniform manner. Use the can method to check the distribution and amount of water being applied, and then make any needed adjustments.
Make sure sprinkler heads have the right water pressure
to apply water as drops and not as mist. Excess water pressure can cause significant water loss. Sprinklers should never water sidewalks, driveways or streets.
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