DID YOU KNOW THAT OVER-WATERING YOUR LAWN WEAKENS IT? WATERING EVERY DAY CAUSES THE ROOT SYSTEM TO BE SHALLOW, THEN ONE OR TWO DAYS IN JULY OR AUGUST WITHOUT WATER AND YOUR LAWN SHOWS SIGNS OF BURNING. WATERING LESS FREQUENTLY WILL HELP YOUR LAWN ESTABLISH A DEEPER ROOT SYSTEM. ALLOWING THE SOIL TO BECOME DRYER WILL CAUSE THE ROOTS TO SEEK MOISTER AND COOLER SOIL DEEPER DOWN, BECOMING MORE DISEASE RESISTANT AND MAKING A HEALTHIER, STRONGER TURF SYSTEM.
1. PLACE A LAYER OF MULCH AROUND TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERBEDS. MULCH WILL SLOW EVAPORATION AND LOWER SOIL TEMPERATURE AND INHIBITS WEED GROWTH. BARK, PEAT MOSS, GRAVEL, EVEN GRASS CLIPPINGS CAN BE USED AS EFFECTIVE MULCHES, 3-5 INCHES DEEP. AVOID BLACK PLASTIC, WATER CANNOT PENETRATE IT.
2. ADJUST YOUR SPRINKLING SYSTEM TO THE PERIOD. DON’T SET IT IN APRIL, AND THEN FORGET ABOUT IT UNTIL November. CHECK AROUND YOUR YARD MONTHLY FOR LEAKS AND CLOGGED, BROKEN OR MALFUNCTIONING HEADS. TUNE UP YOUR SYSTEM REGULARY. A BROWN SPOT MAY INDICATE A SYSTEM PROBLEM.
3. WATER BROWN SPOTS BY HAND RATHER THAN INCREASING CYCLES.
4. WATER DURING THE COOLER HOURS TO REDUCE EVAPORATION.
5. AERATE LAWNS ANNUALLY TO INCREASE WATER PENETRATION TO THE ROOTS.
6. RAISE THE SETTING OF YOUR MOWER. 2 1/2” TO 4” IS THE RECOMMENDED HEIGHT. THIS WILL SHADE AND COOL THE SOIL TEMPERATURE. LEAVE A LAYER OF CLIPPINGS EVERY FEW CUTTINGS TO MULCH AND FEED THE LAWN. KEEP MOWER BLADES SHARP.
7. PLUNGE A SCREWDRIVER INTO YOUR LAWN TO TEST FOR PENETRATION DEPTH. THE SOIL SHOULD BE MOIST 8” DOWN. THE AVERAGE ROOT SYSTEM IN UTAH LAWN IS 5”-6”, YET THE TYPE OF GRASSES WE USE SHOULD HAVE A ROOT SYSTEM OF 8”-12” DEEP.
8. CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE OVER-WATERING YOUR LAWN. COLLECT SOME EMPTY CONTAINERS (4 WOULD BE BEST) AND USING A PERMANENT MARKER, MARK ½”, ¾” AND 1” MARKS INSIDE. SET OUT THE CONTAINERS IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS OF ONE SPRINKLING ZONE OR PATTERN. TIME HOW LONG IT TAKES TO FILL THE VARIOUS MARKS. USE THE “MONTHLY IRRIGATION SCHEDULE”* TO DETERMINE HOW OFTEN TO APPLY IRRIGATION TO YOUR YARD. ADJUST YOUR SPRINKLING SYSTEM TIMER OR WATERING HABITS TO CONFORM WITH THE GUIDE. THIS IRRIGATION TABLE IS SPECIFIC FOR UTAH COUNTY.
MONTHLY IRRIGATION SCHEDULE FOR UTAH COUNTY, UTAH
MONTH IRRIGATION INTERVALS
½” APPLICATION ¾” APPLICATION 1” APPLICATION
MARCH -- -- --
APRIL Once every 6 days Once every 8 days Once every 10 days
MAY Once every 4 days Once every 5 days Once every 7 days
JUNE Once every 3 days Once every 4 days Once every 6 days
JULY Once every 3 days Once every 4 days Once every 6 days
AUGUST Once every 3 days Once every 5 days Once every 7 days
SEPTEMBER Once every 5 days Once every 7 days Once every 9 days
OCTOBER Once every 9 days Once every 11 days Once every 17 days
NOVEMBER -- -- --
*Source: U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
1. PLACE A LAYER OF MULCH AROUND TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERBEDS. MULCH WILL SLOW EVAPORATION AND LOWER SOIL TEMPERATURE AND INHIBITS WEED GROWTH. BARK, PEAT MOSS, GRAVEL, EVEN GRASS CLIPPINGS CAN BE USED AS EFFECTIVE MULCHES, 3-5 INCHES DEEP. AVOID BLACK PLASTIC, WATER CANNOT PENETRATE IT.
2. ADJUST YOUR SPRINKLING SYSTEM TO THE PERIOD. DON’T SET IT IN APRIL, AND THEN FORGET ABOUT IT UNTIL November. CHECK AROUND YOUR YARD MONTHLY FOR LEAKS AND CLOGGED, BROKEN OR MALFUNCTIONING HEADS. TUNE UP YOUR SYSTEM REGULARY. A BROWN SPOT MAY INDICATE A SYSTEM PROBLEM.
3. WATER BROWN SPOTS BY HAND RATHER THAN INCREASING CYCLES.
4. WATER DURING THE COOLER HOURS TO REDUCE EVAPORATION.
5. AERATE LAWNS ANNUALLY TO INCREASE WATER PENETRATION TO THE ROOTS.
6. RAISE THE SETTING OF YOUR MOWER. 2 1/2” TO 4” IS THE RECOMMENDED HEIGHT. THIS WILL SHADE AND COOL THE SOIL TEMPERATURE. LEAVE A LAYER OF CLIPPINGS EVERY FEW CUTTINGS TO MULCH AND FEED THE LAWN. KEEP MOWER BLADES SHARP.
7. PLUNGE A SCREWDRIVER INTO YOUR LAWN TO TEST FOR PENETRATION DEPTH. THE SOIL SHOULD BE MOIST 8” DOWN. THE AVERAGE ROOT SYSTEM IN UTAH LAWN IS 5”-6”, YET THE TYPE OF GRASSES WE USE SHOULD HAVE A ROOT SYSTEM OF 8”-12” DEEP.
8. CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE OVER-WATERING YOUR LAWN. COLLECT SOME EMPTY CONTAINERS (4 WOULD BE BEST) AND USING A PERMANENT MARKER, MARK ½”, ¾” AND 1” MARKS INSIDE. SET OUT THE CONTAINERS IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS OF ONE SPRINKLING ZONE OR PATTERN. TIME HOW LONG IT TAKES TO FILL THE VARIOUS MARKS. USE THE “MONTHLY IRRIGATION SCHEDULE”* TO DETERMINE HOW OFTEN TO APPLY IRRIGATION TO YOUR YARD. ADJUST YOUR SPRINKLING SYSTEM TIMER OR WATERING HABITS TO CONFORM WITH THE GUIDE. THIS IRRIGATION TABLE IS SPECIFIC FOR UTAH COUNTY.
MONTHLY IRRIGATION SCHEDULE FOR UTAH COUNTY, UTAH
MONTH IRRIGATION INTERVALS
½” APPLICATION ¾” APPLICATION 1” APPLICATION
MARCH -- -- --
APRIL Once every 6 days Once every 8 days Once every 10 days
MAY Once every 4 days Once every 5 days Once every 7 days
JUNE Once every 3 days Once every 4 days Once every 6 days
JULY Once every 3 days Once every 4 days Once every 6 days
AUGUST Once every 3 days Once every 5 days Once every 7 days
SEPTEMBER Once every 5 days Once every 7 days Once every 9 days
OCTOBER Once every 9 days Once every 11 days Once every 17 days
NOVEMBER -- -- --
*Source: U.S. BUREAU OF RECLAMATION
I tried installing those cement blocks that you have featured in that picture when I did some landscaping at my house a couple months ago and it was wicked hard! Trying to make the ground level so that the blocks wouldn't wobble was ridiculously hard. Maybe I should have just hired someone.
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