How can you tell if your lawn is overwatered?
Cardiff We just installed new sod a few days ago in Northern California. We’ve been watering it according to recommendations (3 times a day, one inch of water each time). But, it’s got tinges of yellow at the base of the blades and want to make sure it won’t get worse. We’re going away on vacation next week and want to make sure we don’t return to a dead lawn!
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2 Responses
plantmd
06 Feb 2010
melinda w
06 Feb 2010
Signs of Overwatering :
Water is consistantly puddled in areas.
Turf has a musty odor.
Soil is extremely soft and mushy.
Algae or mushrooms are present.
Why can’t I just water until the soil is soggy ?
You will be wasting water and increasing your water bills.
Overwatered lawns can be more susceptible to diseases such as fungus and root-rots. Damp grass can also harbor mosquito larva.
How long should I water ?
How long you should water depends upon two factors:
1. How quickly your sprinklers put water on your lawn.
2. The amount of water your grass needs to stay healthy.
Here’s a test to determine if water is needed :
Try pushing the 6" long shaft of a screwdriver into the ground.
If it goes in easily, don’t water.
Note: Don’t water after it has rained.
When should I water ?
Be a night owl.
Night or early in the morning are the most effective times to water, because wind and evaporation are lower.
High wind speeds distort sprinkler patterns and produce non-uniform irrigation.
That sounds like too much water to me. I’d cut back on it, maybe just to 2 times per day. If you have a fungus, you are watering too much!
Another thing it could be is it is running out of fertilizer with all of the water you are putting on it. Think about this… your new sod has a very little root system and doesn’t have the best ability to take up nutrients with that tiny little root system. So, if you did put down a fertilizer, with all of the watering you are doing, it could be washed away which would account for the yellowing.
I’d 1. reduce the watering, 2. put down a slow release fertilizer with more potassium than anything else (potassium (K) will help encourage root growth so the grass can take up more nutrients and water!), 3. have someone come over while you are on vacation to make sure your grass is doing well!
By reducing the water, it will help reduce the chance of a fungus and will give the turf time to take up the nutrients it needs.
Check out this website too for more information:
http://ucrturf.ucr.edu/INFOHOME.HTM
And NEVER, EVER water at night… prolonged wetness of the turf is the best environment for disease development!! Water in the early morning hours so the turf can dry out during the day!