6 Mistakes to Avoid When Watering Your Yard

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6 Mistakes to Avoid When Watering Your Yard

Building and maintaining a garden is one way to improve the value of your property. Compared to renovating your kitchen, growing plants is cheaper. However, landscaping requires more effort on your end.

Think of taking care of your garden or yard as you would taking care of your pet. Plants need sufficient amounts of water and nutrients to grow big and beautiful. These are also essential in strengthening the roots and making the plants more resistant to weeds and pests.

Waiting for the rainy season is not enough. To produce big, robust, and beautiful foliage, homeowners need to be more hands-on when it comes to plant maintenance. You need to make sure that your plants are getting enough water regardless of the season.

Let an expert in sprinkler repair and installation in Pampa, Texas, show you the most common mistakes homeowners make when it comes to watering their yard so you can avoid them.

1. Too much/little water

Whether you use too much or too little water, either extreme is not recommended. Too much water can effectively drown your plants. Plus, excess water can cause the root systems to become shallow in the process.

Over-irrigating can also affect the recovery rate of your grass blades, shrubs, and even trees. As a result, they will become more delicate and prone to withering once the temperatures start rising.

Fungus and bacteria are also more likely to grow and spread in squishy, water-logged soil. To prevent your plants from becoming diseased, control the amount of water you put into the ground.

The same can be said when you don’t provide enough water. Without water, your yard and whatever is planted in it will become more prone to withering and getting infected with disease. This is especially true with young shrubs and seedlings.

2. Frequent irrigation

Contrary to popular belief, watering too often can be bad for your plants. Irrigating too many times in a week can produce the same results as sprinkling too much water on your lawn.

How much is enough for your yard? The aim is to provide a maximum of one inch of water per week for your lawn. With shrubs and larger plants, the amount should be half as that of grass.

3. Not knowing your soil

The type of soil can affect how much water it can hold. For instance, clay soil has better water retention than sandy soil.

By knowing what type of soil you have, you will also know how frequently you should water your plants. As water drains quickly in sandy soil, more frequent irrigation is needed as compared to yards with clay soil.

4. Using the wrong system

Sprinkler heads come in many different forms. There are rotor heads that can spray up to 0.25 inches of water per hour. On the other hand, spray heads can produce more water, releasing up to 2.15 inches of water per hour.

When using a sprinkler system, make sure that you don’t have several different types of irrigation heads working in the same area of your yard. This will prevent overlaps and over-watering in certain areas.

5. Absence of an irrigation strategy

Having a sprinkler system is not enough. You need to program your sprinklers to open at certain days, at specific times of the day. Otherwise, you might end up paying hundreds of dollars a month even during the rainy season if you’re not careful.

Avoid watering your plants immediately after a torrential downpour. With the right amount of water, your yard will remain adequately irrigated for several days.

It is also important to note that shrubs and larger plants require less water than grass to survive and thrive. By having an irrigation strategy, you ensure that different types of plants get the right amount of water, regardless of their location in your garden.

Make the most of each drop of water. Ensure that the water reaches every inch of your yard and not go over the boundary. Check that the water is not going into the street or your neighbor’s side of the road.

6. Wrong watering time

The prime time for watering your plants is early in the morning, more specifically between six and nine in the morning. This is the perfect time as the sun has not reached its peak.

Scheduling any later than this period is not recommended. Beyond 9 am, the temperatures can skyrocket. The extreme heat can prevent the water from reaching the plant’s roots.

Temperatures will start going down late in the afternoon. The next best time is late in the afternoon, between 4 pm and 6 pm. Watering during this time allows the soil to absorb the water before the temperature drops.

Avoid watering after 6 pm. Watering after this time will leave your lawn wet throughout the evening. As a result, you may end up over-watering your yard and creating the ideal environment for fungus to grow.

Water with care

Keep in mind that each garden is unique. Even within the same subdivision or compound, the properties of the soil, and even the effects of certain weather conditions on it can vary. As a result, the watering requirements can be different from one yard to another.

Consult with a reputable landscaper in your area to know what the best practices are for watering your garden and taking care of your seedlings. Get a sprinkler installed as well if the budget permits. A sprinkler can make the irrigation process more controlled and systematic, making it easier to produce strong and healthy plants.

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