Four Signs Your Lawn is Overwatered
When taking care of your lawn, there are two basic things everyone has in mind… Watering your lawn and mowing your lawn. It’s easy to tell when you’ve cut your lawn too short, too often – You may see bald patches and scorched grass or wheel trenches. Overwatering is something many homeowners don’t even consider. After all, isn’t water good for grass? Well, yes! But only to a certain point. When the soil becomes overwatered, many bad things can happen.
You may experience yellowing leaves, weeds, pests, and even disease in your lawn. Of course, it goes without saying, your lawn deserves better than that! In this article, we’ll go over signs your lawn may be overwatered and how to avoid overwatering.
Four Signs of an Overwatered Lawn
Standing Water and Runoff
Let’s start with the obvious. If water flows into your driveway or the street, the lawn is definitely full of water. This is bad because you’re probably losing fertilizer and nutritious soil, too. Even worse, any chemical treatments can get swept away into the water table.
Wilting Grass
Grass that wilts – As in, it flops over and has no strength to stand – Is usually seen as a sign of too little water. The inverse is true, too. With too much water, chlorophyll (which plants need to stay green and make food) can get “washed out.” This leads to faded, dull leaves that stay pressed down. When you step on your grass, it should sprint right back up. Otherwise, it’s probably waterlogged.
Root Rot
Root rot is a fungus that can attack plants of all kinds, especially in overwatered soil. As the name implies, root rot destroys the roots of plants, starving them of water and nutrients. Pull up a little grass if you notice it yellowing or turning brown. You likely have root rot if the roots are gray, slimy, or brown.
Signs of Fungus
If you’re noticing blight or mushrooms on your lawn, there’s a good chance it’s too damp. Fungi need a lot of moisture to survive and spread. If you see these popping up with any regularity, cut back on the watering. While some mushrooms are just a sign of healthy soil – Particularly around a tree’s drip line – You shouldn’t have an excess.
How to Prevent Overwatering
Preventing overwatering can be a simple process. There’s no real “trick” to it. First, check if the ground is damp. Use a ruler or yardstick to see if the soil is still damp six to twelve inches down. Depending on the month, you should also water between 4 and 8 AM. This gives your lawn plenty of time to dry. Avoid watering at night or in rainy weather.
One of the best ways to prevent overwatering is to install an irrigation system. Modern sprinkler and irrigation systems have automatic timers that prevent them from running too long. They also ensure you never lose a watering cycle. If you know rain is coming, you can shut off or delay most systems. There are several options available for all sorts of lawns.
At American Irrigation, we’re all about keeping your lawn healthy. If you’re interested in seeing what kind of irrigation system works best for your lawn, call us. You can also visit our website to learn more.