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Mother's Day is a perfect time to start regular watering of your lawn. But how much should you water? Surprisingly, it's less than you think.
To have a healthy lawn, it's important to not water every day. Watering every day actually stifles your lawn's growth. If water is always available at the top of the soil, roots will stay shallow. Deep roots make a lawn healthier and better able to survive the scorching summer heat. There are a few simple ways to ensure your lawn is getting the right amount of water:
1. Follow the seasons
Your lawn doesn't need the same amount of water all season long. Chances are you'll lower your water bill and have a hardier lawn by following this simple guide:
Photo credit: Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
2. Step on It
Step on your lawn: does the grass spring back up? Or does a dull footprint remain? If the footprint stays, it's time to water.
Photo credit: Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
3. Screwdriver Test
Stick a long screwdriver down into your lawn. It should slide easily through the wet soil and stop when it hits the dry soil. Ideally, the screwdriver should be able to go down 6-8 inches. If the screwdriver is barely penetrating the surface, your lawn needs more water.
Photo credit: Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
4. Don't Frown on Brown
Brown spots are nothing to be afraid of. They don't mean the whole lawn is dying, so avoid the mistake of increasing watering time for the entire lawn. Turn on your sprinklers and watch them at work: do trees block some of the water from getting to the grass? Is a sprinkler head not working? You can hand water brown spots but most will turn back green on their own in the cooler months.
Photo credit: Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
5. Get a free water check
A fantastic and convenient way to determine if your sprinklers are being efficient is to schedule a free water check.
A water check analyzes the efficiency of your automated sprinkler system. Trained specialists will perform the water check at your home and provide you with a customized watering schedule.
By watering correctly, you'll have a lawn that is the envy of the neighborhood — and for less money! You'll also be a model citizen because you're using less water.
With Utah's population expected to double in the next few decades, we're all going to have to live more providently with the water we have. Currently, over 65 percent of water is used (really, overused) outdoors on landscapes.
The good news is that there is a readily available solution. By making a few simple adjustments, you could save hundreds of dollars and thousands of gallons of water while still having a beautiful, lush landscape. It's lush with less!
