A healthy lawn requires plenty of irrigation. Water comprises up to 80 percent of the weight in a blade of grass. That being the case, your lawn can sustain damage from improper watering, whether too much or not enough.
In the Florida summer, there’s usually enough rainfall to keep things green. But even a few days without rain can affect your grass negatively.
The time of day makes a difference. It’s important to make sure your irrigation cycle finishes in early morning, before sunup. This minimizes evaporation, and the grass is able to take up more water.
Incidentally, it’s a good practice to inspect irrigation heads monthly for damage, leaks or clogs. When these issues compromise sprinkler coverage, it will begin to show up in your lawn. And as the grass weakens, it can become increasingly vulnerable to chinch bugs.
In Florida, most lawns need 1 to 1.5 inches of water. Rain gauges or even empty tuna cans are good ways to check. Place them around your yard and examine them after a watering to see if the necessary levels are there.
If your watering isn’t at the correct levels, it’s a good idea to do a single, deep watering to jump-start the process. Watering time exceeding 30 minutes will work better than shorter, more frequent periods.
Your lawn gets thirsty, just as you do. Be sure to give those blades a good, healthy drink.