Spring rains bring plenty of water for your yard. But what happens when natural water is scarce? How much water does your lawn need? Learn all the details about properly watering your lawn from the team at Nixa Lawn Service, your premier lawn mowing, landscaping, and lawn care company in southwest Missouri.
Check Your Lawn First
Normal precipitation in southwest Missouri is usually adequate to water your lawn from March through June. However, drought conditions occasionally cause problems. Check your lawn before you decide to water it. Blades of grass may look gray or dull green. If you walk on the yard and your footprints don’t disappear quickly, the grass doesn’t have enough moisture in it. Grass should spring back quickly and easily. Nixa Lawn Service can help you determine if your grass is healthy.
Measure Your Rainfall
Measuring rainfall is an excellent way to determine if your grass is getting enough moisture. Place a rain gauge in your yard to determine how much precipitation your lawn receives during any given week. You’ll need to take rainfall into account when figuring out how much to water your grass. Nixa Lawn Service can show you where to place the rain gauge for the most accurate results.
Know How Water Retention Works
The top 6 to 8 inches of soil are the most important when it comes to the roots of your grass. This soil layer must remain wet to ensure your lawn gets enough moisture for a healthy, green carpet. We can show you what this layer looks like the next time Nixa Lawn Service comes by your place.
Water Once or Twice Per Week
Your lawn needs around 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week to keep the top 8 inches of soil wet enough. That’s not a problem in the spring for southwest Missouri. We’ve already had plenty of rain in March of 2020! However, June, July, and August may cause some difficulties. You can water your grass once or twice a week to achieve 1 to 1.5 inches of water. Nixa Lawn Service doesn’t recommend overwatering your yard.
Determine How Long to Water
There are a few ways to determine how long you should water your lawn. A simple method involves using a wooden dowel to test how deeply the water has penetrated the soil. Before watering, insert the dowel 8 inches into the soil, leave it for 15 seconds, then withdraw it and check the depth at which it absorbed moisture. Repeat the check every 15 minutes as you water your lawn. When the moisture reaches 6 to 8 inches deep, that’s how long to water your lawn.
If you have a sprinkler system or irrigation system, you can do the math to determine how long to water your grass. Multiply the square footage of your yard by 0.62 gallons (which is 1 inch of water per square foot). Then divide by the sprinkler flow rate. This figure is the number of minutes you need to run your sprinkler system to achieve the perfect amount of moisture for your lawn. Nixa Lawn Service can help you do the math, too.
Nixa Lawn Service: Your Lawn Care Experts
Talk to the lawn care experts at Nixa Lawn Service about watering your slice of paradise. We mow, rake, shovel, landscape, aerate, and much more! Contact Nixa Lawn Service or call (417) 724-0318 for information.
