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In Utah, most secondary water providers have Oct. 15, as a shut-down date. During drought years the systems could be shut off as early as Oct. 1. In severe cases, however, the systems can even be shut off in September. This shut-down is to winterize the system and begin accumulating reservoir storage for the following year.
Typical Utah landscapes consist of mostly lawn, which needs the most irrigation. From a plant health point of view, October usually requires no irrigation to keep lawns healthy and still looking good going into winter. The exception would be abnormally warm, dry years.
Here are three reasons why you probably don't need to water at all in October:
October weather is typically cooler and wetter
In an average year, turf needs to be watered only a couple of times during October. Because of lower temperatures and increased rain, extra irrigation isn't often needed. The increased amount of rain that normally comes in October usually takes care of plant water needs.
Make sure to check all your trees, shrubs, and perennials before water is turned off. If the soil is dry, water everything deeply so that these plants can go into winter well-hydrated.
Most northern Utah lawns are cool-season grasses
In northern Utah, the majority of lawn grasses are cool-season types such as Kentucky Bluegrass and fescue. They do most of their active growing in the spring and the fall when natural conditions are cooler and wetter.
Adding supplemental water through irrigation is necessary during hot stretches to keep lawns from going into a summer dormant state (usually mistaken for grass death) and turning brown.
The good news is that during the cooler weather of spring and fall there is usually sufficient natural rainfall. October normally provides the right amount of natural precipitation so extra irrigation is unnecessary, or if it is needed, it is very infrequent.
A little plant stress in October can encourage deep roots
It is possible to maintain a healthy, green lawn while only watering once or twice a week, even during the hottest parts of the year. It requires deep, well-established root systems.
Allowing as much time as possible to pass in between watering will encourage roots to move deep into the ground to find available groundwater. And the deeper the roots grow, the more moisture is available in that larger root zone in the soil for the plants to access.
Lawns that are accustomed to being watered only once or twice a week have deep root systems compared to those that receive water every day or even every other day. Too-frequent watering produces shallow roots that quickly dry out when the weather is hot or when irrigation is no longer available A shallow-rooted lawn will struggle if not watered often.
Hot weather and shallow roots bring on summer dormancy. It is much easier to encourage deep roots by dialing back your watering in September, then cutting it off completely in October.
Unless you are trying to establish new grass, there is never a reason to irrigate every day even in July and August.
Trees and shrubs are the exception
There's one important consideration to keep in mind when it comes to refraining from watering. In instances of prolonged dry spells it is crucial to provide plenty of deep water for trees and shrubs as they prepare for the winter season. Well-hydrated trees tend to fare significantly better during the winter months than those that are stressed and dehydrated.
In drought years, there may be restrictions that can limit how much water is available for late fall watering. It's worth noting that even in unusually dry years if your lawn receives no water in October, it is likely to enter a dormant state without a significant risk of complete dieback.
If you're concerned about your overall water use or reducing your yard's water consumption, there are an array of rebates and incentives available for landscaping products and projects. You might be eligible for financial incentives if you decide to replace unused lawn areas with more water-efficient and drought-resistant plants. For comprehensive information on water conservation in landscaping, incentive programs, secondary water metering, and free landscaping-related classes, please visit www.weberbasin.gov.
