Here in North Texas, we know it’s hard to keep our lawns looking lush and green all summer without watering them. At the same time, we’re also accustomed to water shortages that make it so we can’t always water the lawn regularly. What’s the smart thing to do in that situation?
One answer is to turn to smart irrigation systems. Smart irrigation systems make it easy to use only the amount of water that a lawn needs.
Reasons to Conserve Water
We need water for a lot of things, yet there’s a limited amount of it available. Every day, people drink water, shower, wash laundry and dishes, and cook using water. It’s also vital to many industrial applications.
In addition, we use water for things that aren’t as necessary, like watering lawns. During water shortages, watering lawns is one of the first things people are typically asked to cut back on. Keeping a lawn green is less important than keeping a business running or making sure there’s water available for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.
Even when there isn’t a water shortage, though, many of us could still cut back on how much water we use on the lawn without damaging our grass. In 2015, the Texas Living Waters Project reported, “Outdoor water use, particularly lawn watering, accounts for almost one third of annual residential water use in Texas.” Given the importance of water conservation, it makes sense to cut back on that amount if possible.
Reasons Not to Overwater
The Texas Living Waters Project also points out, “Studies show that homeowners have a tendency to overwater landscapes by as much as two to three times the amount needed.” That’s a lot of wasted water! If you can cut back the amount of water you’re using and still have a healthy lawn, there’s no reason not to do that.
Overwatering the lawn is just as dangerous as underwatering it. Lawns don’t need daily watering, or even every other day. The grass simply can’t use that much water. It’ll develop a shallow root system and may even “suffocate” because the water pushes oxygen out of the soil. Overwatered grass starts to turn yellow. It’s also more vulnerable to thatch buildup, pests, disease, and fungus. Plus, overwatering can cause weeds to grow faster and might even lead to mushrooms growing in the grass.
If you’re overwatering, then the soil will often feel spongy and wet. It might even have enough water standing on the lawn to attract mosquitoes. If the soil is already wet—either from rain or previous watering—the next time you water, then t water will run off the lawn. Runoff can carry lawn chemicals like fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides into the groundwater, affecting local water quality and hurting the environment.
How To Water Correctly
Lawns in North Texas need about 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. That includes water from rain as well as water from irrigation. Anything more than that, and you risk damaging the lawn by overwatering. Typically, you’ll water about once a week during spring and fall, once or twice a week in the summer, and once every two to three weeks in the winter.
You can measure how much water your lawn gets using the tuna can system. Place empty tuna cans (or other small containers) around the yard and then water the lawn as you normally would. Then, use a ruler or yardstick to measure how deep the water is in the cans. If it’s less than an inch, the lawn needs more water. If it’s more than an inch, the lawn needs less water. Change your irrigation schedule accordingly.
Watering deeply and infrequently helps keep the grass healthy. Watering one inch once a week or a half inch twice a week is much better than smaller, everyday watering. You’ll also want to water early in the day, before the sun gets high, to minimize water lost to evaporation.
An alternative to watering on a regular schedule is watering only when the lawn needs it. Keep an eye on your lawn, looking for signs of drought. If the soil starts to crack, your footprints stay visible on the lawn after you walk across it, or the grass looks dry with faded and curling leaves, then it’s time to water.
How Smart Irrigation Works
If you’re watering by hand or using a timed irrigation system, then you must pay close attention to the lawn and the weather to avoid overwatering. If it rains or you see signs of overwatering, then you’ll need to adjust your watering schedule manually. A smart irrigation system makes things simple by using sensors to determine when to water. You might need to adjust it occasionally, but not nearly as often as other systems.
Smart irrigation uses climate-based control systems, soil-moisture sensors, or both to determine when to water the lawn. Climate-based systems either use weather data the system collects online (just like your smartphone can access a weather app) or collect weather data from its own sensors to determine when to water based on rainfall, temperature, and other factors. Soil-moisture sensors are placed in the ground and trigger the irrigation system to run when the soil is dry. You can either set up smart sensors and/or controls when installing a new irrigation system or add them to an existing system.
If you’re a homeowner, a local landscape professional can help with setting up a smart irrigation system that will work for your home. And if you’re a professional providing green industry services, consider making smart irrigation one of the services you offer to clients. It might be a bit of a challenge to convince people to update their existing system or install a new one, but everyone benefits from water conservation efforts. Plus, a lawn that’s getting just the right amount of water is going to look much more attractive than one that’s stressed by getting too much or too little water.
