The weather has changed dramatically from a cool, wet spring to hot, dry summer conditions. When the temperature swings quickly from 60 to 90+ degrees, you may notice plants starting to wilt or brown spots appearing in your lawn.
Don’t let your watering practices be extreme, too. Instead, use these four strategies to sustain the long-term health of your lawn and landscape during a heat wave.
- Water consistently. You can water up to three days per week according to the Water Wise Rules. While it’s a good idea to water more often as the temperature rises, avoid overwatering. You may see temporary landscape stress, but know that watering three days per week should be plenty of water to sustain the long-term health of your lawn and plants. Choose the days that work best for you. There’s no requirement to water on specific days. Water before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. so the water soaks into the ground rather than evaporating into the air. Review our Lawn Watering Fundamentals webinar or the Water Wise Lawn Watering Schedule to learn the best way to water your lawn in the Colorado Springs region.
- Do a sprinkler check. It’s tempting to increase the watering time when you see brown spots in your lawn. Before you add more minutes, turn on your sprinkler system and make sure everything is working properly. Brown spots often appear due to a clogged nozzle, new leak, shrub branch blocking the spray, or sprinkler head turned the wrong way. If you repair the problems you find, you may notice your lawn and landscape looking better without having to water longer.
- Take advantage of our rebates. If you have a poorly designed or inefficient sprinkler system, it will be very noticeable once the summer heat arrives. If you decide to make improvements to your sprinklers, consider installing high efficiency sprinkler equipment. Not only do the sprinklers and timers work better, but we also offer generous rebates to make it less expensive to upgrade your sprinklers. Check out the list of qualifying equipment before you buy and remember to submit your receipts with your rebate application.
- Hand water stubborn dry spots. If you follow the first three steps and still notice dry areas or sensitive plants, use a hose and a watering wand with a shutoff nozzle to give those spots a little extra water. Hand watering dry areas is a wiser practice than watering your entire landscape more. As long as you’re using a shutoff nozzle, you can handwater as needed within the Water Wise Rules. Just don’t overdo it.
By using smart watering practices during a heat wave, you can keep your lawn and landscape healthy until cooler weather returns. Implementing these solutions will help your grass be as healthy as possible as we steward our community’s watering supply wisely.