Water saving lawns

Lawns cope with periods of dryness once established. The dryness causes the rate of growth to slow, and grasses take on a brown appearance in prolonged dry spells.

To maintain a lawn that is green and actively growing, water your lawn during dry periods. Water your lawn early in the morning or late in the evening to reduce evaporation.

Your lawn needs a water when the grass does not ‘spring’ back up after being walked on. After watering the soil should be moist to a depth of 10-15cm. Shallow watering only encourages the grasses to develop shallow root systems-making them more prone to dryness!

Remember - water restrictions may affect when and how you can water your lawn or whether it is prohibited entirely. Check with your local water authority to find out if water restrictions are in place.

You should use a good “soil wetting agent” if you water your lawn. Use on sand or clay soils, and apply around late Sept early October. Consider another application in January or February.

When you water it will soak into your lawn into the root zone, and not run-off, resulting in maximum water utilisation and efficiency. Watering without applying a “wetting agent” is like washing greasy dishes in cold water with no detergent.

Fertilising should be done as regularly as required to encourage the growth required to repair damage to your lawn. If your lawn is healthy, has satisfactory colour and is not being constantly scuffed and damaged, minimal fertilising is needed. Fertiliser products should be
varied, and use a slow release ‘starter’ fertiliser each year around late Winter / early Spring to encourage strong root growth.

Mowing heights should be adjusted to suit the growing conditions, i.e. when the turf is growing strongly it may be cut fairly low. If it is experiencing heat stress or the growth is beginning to slow (coming into winter or lacking nutrition) then be careful with the mower, and raise the height or don’t cut at all.