After the rainiest spring on record in Tulsa, it’s only fitting that we now are hot and dry all of a sudden. Now is the time of the season where we really need your help to provide adequate irrigation, if Mother Nature does not cooperate.
Water Deep, but Not Every Day.
Most turfgrass will need about 1.5”- 2” of moisture per week in order to perform their best. Warm-season grasses such as Bermudagrass love hot weather, as long as there is adequate soil moisture available. Cool-season grasses, such as Fescue and Bluegrass, can go semi-dormant in some areas with hot temperatures and inadequate soil moisture. Another problem is that during July and August, not only is the turf absorbing and using great amounts of water in order to grow and cool off, but the hot sun is drying out the soil moisture also. Turf roots can grow deep though, so one key is to water deeply so that the soil will be moist 6”-8” below the surface. This “trains” the roots to grow deep, and be able to absorb that deep soil moisture.
We find that many homeowners with sprinkler systems actually can hurt their turf’s ability to withstand summer stress by watering every day. This keeps the top inch or two of soil so moist that the turf roots just concentrate right at the surface. Roots are a lot like people—they’ll only go where they need to! So by daily watering, you are actually training your root system to be shallow, making it become addicted to daily watering.
So go ahead and allow the top surface of your soil to dry out a little between waterings. It’ll be OK! A little stress will help your root system to grow deeper. Then when you do water, water well, supplying up to an inch of water so that the deeper soil layers become moist. If you have a clay soil or one that has a hard time absorbing water well, you’ll need to water in increments so that the water will not run off. I’d suggest going through your sprinkler cycle twice, allowing some time for the water to be absorbed in-between cycles.
If we receive rainfall during the week, then obviously you can cut back on your irrigation. A general rule-of-thumb is about 1.5” to 2” per week, either from rainfall or irrigation. So if we have no rain, as often is the case during summer and early fall, you’ll need to water 3-4 times per week, as long as you water long enough to put out 1⁄2 to 1” of water each time you irrigate.
End Your Irrigation at Sunrise.
The best time to water is early in the morning, before the sun comes up. This will allow the water to penetrate into the soil, while allowing the morning sun to dry out the grass so that it won’t stay damp too long. Watering too much in the evening can lead to turf disease, such as Brown Patch, Rust, and Pythium. Hopefully your paper delivery guy will use a plastic bag for your morning newspaper though, because it’s really hard to read a wet newspaper!
Leaf scorch is starting to show up on trees and shrubs around the state. This is not a disease but rather a physiological problem associated with damaged roots, storm damage, limited soil area, or hot, dry winds. Moisture is lost so quickly from the leaves that roots can’t absorb and transfer water quickly enough to replace what is lost. Thought scorch is usually associated with droughty periods, it can appear even when the soil is moist.
Scorched leaves turn brown or, in some cases, turn black from the edges and between major veins. If severe, the leaf may drop. Leaves may be affected over the entire tree or may be affected only on one side. White pines are also prone to this condition due to the delicacy of the needles.
Though scorch can be due solely to the weather, the condition of the roots of plants can make them much more susceptible to this condition. Shallow soils such as those over hardpan or rock lead to a limited root system that may not be able to absorb all the water needed. Trees may be more sensitive to scorch this year because of the heavy rains many areas received this spring. Though soils were recharged, in many cases so much rain was received that oxygen was driven from the soil resulting in root damage. That root damage is now making it more difficult for trees to provide all the water needed for the leaves. Also, root damage due to disease, insects, poor drainage or construction can cause poor water uptake.
To help alleviate damage due to dry sols or limited root systems, water once per week if there is no rainfall. Mulching small trees or shrubs will help conserve moisture.
We are considering adding the service of providing insect misting systems to our LawnAmerica services offered. These systems are professionally installed around the perimeter of your home, and around your backyard so that the system is virtually invisible. They automatically spray at dusk and dawn small amounts of botanical insecticide which controls unwanted insects such as mosquitoes, spiders, and flies.
Please let us know if you would be interested in a product and service such as this by sending selecting one of the choices below. Your personal information will not be sent; only your response. We are testing the market to see if this is something our customers would benefit from.
