Should You Water Your Lawn Now?

It’s here. The hot, (usually) dry days of July have descended upon us.

Rain often becomes infrequent, at best. You might notice your lawn, chameleon-like, changing to a light shade of brown.

This transition is normal. The grass isn’t dead. It’s stopped growing. Unlike landscaping plants, dormancy has set in for lawns in Brookfield, Elm Grove and New Berlin, WI.

Dormancy, a natural cycle, conserves energy. The grass will green up again when rains return. Given that moisture levels in our area are (by some estimates) up to 5 inches below normal, let's hope those rains are generous and sustained.

But what if you really don’t like the look of brown grass, and long for the recently-disappeared emerald-green natural carpet?

Watering will bring it back, but with one big caveat: Once you start, don’t stop.

In other words, when your grass regains its green hue, keep watering. Don’t let it go dormant (i.e., brown) again. This cycle stresses and weakens a lawn. Diligence becomes the order of the day.

Most turf grasses need up to an inch of water per week to stay green. Evaporation takes a toll in the heat of mid-summer. Prepare to sprinkle long, and often.

Here’s a few tips to make the process more efficient:

• Water early in the day. Cooler temperatures reduce evaporation. Occasionally, some dew might be left from the night before.
• Water thoroughly. Moisture needs to reach the grass roots.
• Move the sprinkler(s) consistently. Don’t flood some areas and shortchange others.
• Adjust your lawn mower’s settings to cut at a tall height. Grass will recover and regenerate easier.

If you’ve recently seeded any lawn areas, these still require daily watering. Keep going until the new grass is well established.

July brings a decision to every homeowner: To water, or not? The decision is yours; once made, though, stick with it. Don’t flip-flop. The month won’t last forever, but you want a healthy lawn well into the future.