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Spring Lawn Care Tips #3: Do I Need to Water My Grass in the Spring?

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April showers bring May flowers. We have heard this old adage for most of our lives - and for the majority of the country, it holds true. Generally speaking, you don’t have to water your lawn in the spring. Of course, there are always those times when there is an exception to the rule. For example, if you have reseeded your lawn or resodded an area, you will have to supply additional water beyond what Mother Nature provides. Occasionally, parts of the country go through an extended drought period that can last well into spring. The picture is the current drought map that can be accessed by going to http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/.

How Much Water Should I Use?

How much water to use depends on the type of grass in your lawn and the area in which it lives. Cool season grasses, such as bluegrass and ryegrass, have higher water requirements than warm season grasses like Bermuda grass or centipede grass. A basic rule of thumb is to supply one inch of water to your lawn per week, depending upon the weather. This is the same for cool season or warm season grasses. During the middle of a hot, dry summer, a lawn with cool season grasses may need more water whereas a warm season grass lawn can do just fine with less water. You can train your lawn to be water efficient with careful lawn care . This is accomplished by watering deeply, but infrequently. If you water a little bit each day, your lawn will develop shallow roots as they have no need to grow deeper in search of more water. Let your lawn dry out some before watering again. The roots will grow down deeper in the soil looking for water.

When Should I Water My Lawn?

The best time of day to water is in the early morning. Watering during the heat of the day will not burn your lawn. It may not be very efficient to water at that time of day, but it is a good deal better than watering in the early evening or at night. Watering your lawn at that time can lead to an increase in disease development. The final point on watering is to be consistent with your watering or let your lawn go dormant. Most grasses can survive with as little as 1 inch of water per month. Some warm season grasses can survive an entire summer without any water. They may not look that good, but they will still be alive. Get more expert lawn care tips on Spring-Green.com.