The Need for Water
Water is an essential nutrient for turf and comprises up to 95% of a plant’s tissue. It is required for seeds to sprout, and as the plant grows, water carries nutrients throughout the plant. Water is responsible for many important functions in the health and survival of turfgrass and plants – photosynthesis, transpiration, movement of nutrients and the structure.
Lawns and landscaping are susceptible to soil moisture-related issues that may affect their health, color and quality. Lawn drought damage includes grass blades turning brown as they lose available moisture. If the drought does not last beyond 3-4 weeks, most of these areas can re-grow new, green blades when wet conditions return. However, permanent damage can occur if lawns do not get water in the long run.
Sometimes lack of moisture in plants is not caused by lack of watering. Note that moisture needs to contact the roots of the plants. Some reasons for this:
- Irrigation system – The sprinkler system has incomplete coverage or an issue with one or more spray nozzles due to broken pipe, plugged nozzle etc.
- Water Restriction – While Harris and Ford Bend counties currently do not have any water usage restrictions, the water source is depleting quickly due to an extended drought.
- Hydrophobic Soils – Clayey soil like the one we usually find in Houston areas can become hydrophobic or moisture-resistant when it becomes dry. Attempting to water hydrophobic soil can be difficult as it tends to channel moisture away through voids or runs off to the street.
- Extreme heat and drought – It is not uncommon nowadays to experience a long period of rain and temperature above 100 deg F. Overwatering to compensate can lead to fungus and rot, which can be equally damaging.
Hot Summer Watering Guide
You need to prepare the lawn for drought. During the hot summer months, your lawn should get 1 ½” of water in a week. Water deeply three times or less a week. Use a can or cup to see if your lawn (especially your dry areas) is getting enough water. For example, if you are watering three times a week, the can should fill up ½” each time.
- Check all irrigation system is working correctly. Have a professional irrigation company inspect your system, especially if your sprinkler system has not been checked in the last two years.
- Water only in the morning, and the cycle should end by 7 am.
- Do not water every day – water deeply. New-style irrigation controllers allow you to water several times daily consecutively, so you can program them to prevent run-off.
- Cutting grass in drought conditions requires mowing your lawn slightly taller than usual to maintain moisture – generally around 1 ½ in for Bermuda and 3 ½ in for St. Augustine.
Hydra Guard Moisture Program
Sometimes, watering alone is not enough to give you the green lawn you want this summer. And did you know over watering can cause your lawn to become waterlogged, which invites fungus and other diseases? In fact, excessive yard irrigation encourages a shallow root system, making the grass more vulnerable to heat stress and more susceptible to drought. Hydra Guard improves and maintains the look of your lawn through any dry periods while protecting it from heat stress.
Hydra Guard is the only water management technology that helps plants use moisture vapor that would otherwise be lost to evaporation. It is not a wetting agent, surfactant or super absorbent polymer crystal. It is a unique concept for root zone moisture management.
Hydra Guard effectively manages soil moisture between watering to protect projects from drying out – primarily when constant watering is either restricted, costly, impractical or labor-intensive. Once applied and watered in, Hydra Guard forms a thin film on seeds, root hairs and soil particle surfaces, which attracts moisture vapor to create microscopic water droplets. The droplets are drawn into the roots while the Hydra Guard remains in place, absorbing additional moisture from vapor in the soil air space. Hydra Guard converts this otherwise unavailable soil moisture into usable water droplets, reducing overall watering while eliminating or minimizing plant wilt cycles and drought stress.
Hydra Guard Benefits
- Reduce routine watering needs of turf and landscape by as much as 50%, resulting in significant water bill reduction
- Eliminate dry areas & improve moisture uniformity
- Helps to turfgrass growth over bare spots
- Prevent isolated dry spots from developing
- Greater irrigation efficiency and turf performance while using less water
Do not let your grass suffer due to lack of water. Love your grass. Contact us today to learn how to keep your grass alive during drought or how to repair the lawn after a long drought.
