Lawn Watering Guide

Over-watering your lawn can often encourage fungal problems

Extended periods of hot weather during the summer can take a toll on your lawn, especially areas that are fully exposed during the day. Without the benefit of an adequate supply of water, your lawn can endure severe stress, making it more susceptible to insects, disease and unsightly browning. A regular watering regimen will solve this problem.

When to Water

Watering your lawn first thing in the morning (even before sunrise) is generally considered the best time to water. By doing so, you'll give the water an opportunity to soak in before it has a chance to evaporate, and any moisture that doesn't take to the soil will be gobbled up by the hot summer sun. If you water in the evening, you run the risk of any excess water sitting on your lawn and fostering fungal damage.

How to Water

Your lawn's roots will only travel as far as the water does, so light watering will result in roots that stay near the surface. Deep watering will therefore encourage deep root growth, so it's extremely important to provide the right amount of water to your lawn. It also means less frequent watering because it will take longer for the soil to dry out. We generally recommend a 1-2 inch application twice a week by watering for 5 minutes, then allowing the water to soak in for 15 minutes, and repeating until the desired amount has been applied. This will not only conserve water, but also reduce runoff.

Watering Devices

If set-up and placed correctly, a sprinkler system will consistently cover your entire lawn and can be programmed to water as frequently as you need it. Just remember that water tends to pool around the base of sprinklers, so rotating their locations even on small lawns is a good idea. If your lawn is too large to be covered by your present amount of sprinklers, either purchase more to ensure total coverage or move them to dry areas after one area has received an appropriate amount of saturation.

Too Much Water

Many people feel that if a little water is good, then more of it must be better. This is not the case when it comes to watering your lawn. In fact, more problems occur from over-watering than under-watering. By applying too much water to your lawn, you can wash away essential nutrients from your lawn and leave pools of unabsorbed water that will encourage fungal spores and disease.

Measuring

Something as simple as a tuna or cat food can will be able to tell you how much water your lawn is getting. Simply place a few cans around the lawn and allow them to collect water while your sprinklers run. Measure the amount of water in the can and multiply by the number of times you water each week to figure out how much water your lawn is getting. Unlike your plants, which will shed rainfall away like an umbrella, openly exposed areas of your lawn will readily soak up this moisture, so remember to include any rain in your calculations.

By employing a sprinkler system that covers your entire lawn and is programmed to deliver an appropriate amount of water in the early morning twice a week, you'll have an effective solution that requires little supervision and provides your lawn with a consistent supply of moisture that will help it thrive through the summer.

Keep Your Kids Safe with Playground Mulch

Make every landing a soft landing with Playground Mulch from Estabrook's

Do you have a playset in your backyard? To keep your kids safe even when they're playing rough, an appropriate cushioning material is an absolute must.

Estabrook's now offers Playground Mulch, an all-natural engineered wood fiber that has been certified for both public and private playgrounds. When installed at the proper depth of 12 inches, our Playground Mulch ensures that your kids will stay safe when playing in the backyard this summer.

Here are 10 more tips to keep in mind when setting up an outdoor play area:

1. Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand or pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials.
2. Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar.
3. Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least 9 feet apart.
4. Check for dangerous hardware, like open "S" hooks or protruding bolt ends.
5. Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
6. Check for sharp points or edges in equipment.
7. Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps and rocks.
8. Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.
9. Check playground regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.
10. Carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they're safe.

We offer delivery throughout Southern Maine, so ordering and receiving your Playground Mulch is quick and easy.