Tips Section

WATERING

In the Lake Geneva area we have mostly clay-based soils. This means that in Summer time when the clay is dry, it's as hard as a rock. When we get our Summer rains, which are short in length, the soil does not soak up much moisture and the rain runs off.

In Spring and Fall we get soaker rains. You know, the ones that go on for at least a day or so. Soaker rains go down in to the hard clay because they have time to penetrate the hard soil. This relieves the grass as the roots grab moisture.

What I personally do is only water about 1 to 3 times a Summer but when I do, I really soak the soil. I also let my grass grow to about 4 inches to shade the soil, which helps keep moisture in. This method ensures that I always have the darkest green lawn in Summer with a low water bill.

The facts about water and your grass:

1. Grass requires about an inch of water a week.
2. Shallow or light watering encourages shallow roots.
3. Shallow watering, when done often enough, may cause a fungus to attack your grass.
4. Grass under trees need extra water because the trees compete heavily for the moisture.
5. Grass that grows on slopes needs more water due to run-off. Slopes that face the sun for most of the day need even more water.

Frequently Asked Questions:

When is the best time to water my lawn?
The earlier the better! You do not want to wet the grass at night time, especially in Summer (if you can help it). Wet grass at night gets chewed on all night by fungi. Golf courses water at night because they can not during the day time when customers are there. They pay the high price for watering at night by the use of fungicides.

Click here for some more tips on maintaining your lawn.