Even though the Southbay area is known for fairly nice weather in the Fall and Winter months, and sunlight is abundant; it is still important that homeowners water thier lawns in a effective way. This is a core element and aspect of water conservation so when you think of programming your sprinkler system use these tips so your lawn can get the best irrigation, and your water bill wont be so high.
Water hard to reach areas manually. Water problem areas by hand. Many lawns have one or two spots that require more water than the rest of the lawn. If you water your entire lawn every time you need to water these hot spots, you’ll likely overwater everyplace but these spots. Instead, water them by hand or use a separate sprinkler that’s not attached to the rest of your irrigation system.
Water the lawn only when your lawn needs it!
. Water conservation isn’t the only reason to limit the amount of water you give your lawn. Overwatering is also bad for your lawn’s health and can contribute to the development of fungus and disease. Many people, however, don’t know that they’re overwatering. Some types of grass require more water than others, and environmental factors, such as temperature, humidity, and wind, can dramatically affect how frequently you need to water your lawn. Fortunately, the most accurate way to determine whether your lawn needs water is also the easiest: just look at the grass. When grass needs water, it will begin to take on a blue-gray tint, and the older leaf blades on the plant will begin to curl up or wilt. In addition, footprints will remain on the grass for longer than usual, as the grass won’t “bounce back.” When 30-50% of your lawn shows these symptoms, it’s time to water.
Water deeply into soil. Frequent shallow waterings encourage root generation, and they also cause the grass plants’ roots to grow shallow, leaving the plant more susceptible to drought and to certain diseases. Alternatively, you can follow these general approximations: if you have a bluegrass lawn, each watering should moisten the soil to 6-8 inches, while for most other grasses, the water should penetrate 8-12 inches.
Turn on your sprinkler for 15 minutes. You can also push a shovel into the ground and use it as a lever to spread the soil apart enough so that you can see several inches below the surface.
Water your lawn in the A.M.. When you use sprinklers, some water evaporates before it hits the ground. On a hot, windy day, the amount of water that never reaches your grass can actually be quite substantial. To reduce loss to evaporation, water sometime between 4 A.M. and 9 A.M., when the air is still cool and the wind is usually at its calmest.
Do not create Runoff.Even with sprinklers correctly targeted at the lawn, many people water until (or even after) water begins to run off the grass and into the street or driveway.