How To Irrigate Lawns To Save Water And Be Effective

For many people, the lush green lawn is refreshing and a symbol of pride for the homeowner. It is also a pleasant place to relax or play or play golf. But taking care of the lawn is not so easy. For example, irrigation, too much water or not watering in time will affect the visual effect of the lawn. So how to irrigate the lawn can save water and be effective. Let’s take a look. 

1. Watering only when the grass is needed. Water saving is not the only reason to limit the amount of lawn watering. Excessive watering is not conducive to the health of the lawn, but is conducive to the growth of fungi and diseases. Certain types of grass require more water than others, and environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and wind can significantly affect how often you water your lawn. Fortunately, the most accurate way to determine whether or not to water your lawn is also the easiest: just look at the grass. When the grass needs water, it will begin to appear blue-gray, and some of the old leaves of the grass will begin to roll up or wither. The footprints on the grass stay longer on the grass than usual, that is, the grass does not "rebound". When 30% to 50% of the lawn exhibits these symptoms, it's time to water.
2. Deeper watering is conducive to the growth of deep roots. Frequent shallow watering encourages weeds and also causes the roots of plants to become shallow. Such plants are more susceptible to drought and certain diseases. Water the plants when they really need it. This encourages the roots of the grass to grow downward, but enough water must be used each time so that the water can pass through the entire root system. For example, if the wet part of the soil is 8 cm, and the depth of the moist soil you want is 15 cm, you need to turn on the sprinkler irrigation system for 30 minutes (2×15 minutes) each time you water. The most accurate way to determine the depth of the root system is to dig a small hole and measure how deep the root has grown. Alternatively, you can follow the general estimation method below: If you have a bluegrass lawn, it should be 15-20 cm deep in the soil each time you water, while for most other species, the water depth should be 20-30 cm deep. . You can determine how long the sprinkler irrigation system needs to be on by one of the following methods: Turn on the sprinkler irrigation system for 15 minutes. After 18 to 24 hours, dig a small hole to see how deep the water has penetrated, or use a probe where the water has been watered (the probe will easily penetrate wet soil). You can also use a shovel to shovel into the soil and use the principle of leverage to dig up the soil so that you can see the soil under the topsoil. Once you see how deep the 15-minute water has been poured, you can calculate how long the sprinkler system needs to be turned on. Estimate how much water you will need based on the type of soil. In general, 2.5 cm of water will penetrate 30 cm of sandy soil, 15-20 cm of loamy soil, and 10 cm of clay. Using these estimates is not as accurate as digging the soil, but it is also very close, especially if you have a good knowledge of soil composition. Know how long you need to keep the water spray or sprinkler system on to calibrate your sprinkler.

3. Watering in the morning When you use the sprinkler, some water droplets will evaporate before landing. On a hot and windy day, a lot of water evaporates before the plants reach it. In order to reduce the loss of evaporation, water between 4 am and 9 am. At this time, the air is still cool and the wind is usually calm. Avoid watering your lawn with hot water. On hot days, the water in the hose may be very hot and hot from the sun! It is best not to water the water that day, and change it to the early morning of the next day. Turn on your hose after the sun goes down and empty the hot water inside.
4. Adjust the sprinkler head before watering and aim the sprinkler head to the place where it should be watered, excluding sidewalks or street parts! Slight adjustment of your sprinkler head can save a lot of water. Ideally, you should not pour it on the sidewalk, courtyard, street or driveway at all.
5. Avoid runoff Even if the lawn is sprayed correctly, many people will still water until the water flows out of the lawn, onto the street or driveway. This will waste a lot of water and will not do any good for your lawn. If the water starts to flow outside the lawn and you have not been able to water the lawn enough, turn off the sprinklers for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the soil to absorb the moisture, and then continue to water as needed (rotating the sprinklers from one place to another is also can). Some soils absorb water more slowly than others, but runoff can also be caused by excessive accumulation of thatch, which can lead to lawn disease—sometimes due to long-term overwatering.
6. Let the rain work for you There is nothing more wasteful of water than watering on rainy days. If your automatic sprinkler system has a timer, purchase and install a rain sensor to automatically close the valve when it rains. If possible, avoid watering when it is forecasted to rain later in the day or the next day. Your grass should be fine, even if it looks stressful. Use the rainwater metering tool to determine how much rainwater you get, and then water again when needed. If you are expecting rain and the soil is dry, turn on the sprinkler to moisturize the soil and make it easier to absorb rainwater.
7. Find a rain bucket and use the rain bucket to water the garden and landscape area. A properly installed rain bucket can collect rainwater from your house’s drains and provide sufficient water for gardens and landscape areas. Collect this rainwater to reduce the loss, otherwise it is likely to be mixed with garbage, oil, fertilizers, pesticides and other pollutants on lawns, sidewalks, and streets. This also reduces the amount of pollution entering rivers, lakes, streams and oceans.
8. Water the problematic areas yourself. Many lawns have one or two areas that require more water than others. South-facing slopes (in the southern hemisphere, north-facing slopes), or lawns with only an unshaded area but shaded elsewhere are two common examples of these “problem areas”. "If you water the places with a lot of water every time, you may water the places with a lot of demand normally, while other places are too much. On the contrary, water these two places yourself, or use it with other places. Place the sprinkler heads separated.