As the seasons change, so too should our lawn care routines.
During the fall and winter, many plants, including grass, become dormant, requiring much less water than they do during the summer. So, now is a great time to reduce outside water usage, saving you money with a reduced water bill, but also conserving water for warmer months when plants are active.
As the leaves begin to fall and cold fronts move in, it's time to adjust, or turn off, those automated sprinkler systems.
Continuing to water lawns and gardens at the same rate during the fall and winter can lead to overwatering, which wastes precious resources and contributes to soil erosion, nutrient leaching, and the proliferation of pests. Texas has a limited amount of water - that natural resource becomes increasingly limited as the population continues to grow. Businesses and homeowners can play a significant role in water conservation efforts by learning to properly water their green space.
Lawn irrigation often accounts for nearly half of homeowner water usage, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
So how can people know if their lawn may need to be watered?
The WaterMyYard program is a program of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and is one source that uses local weather data in sponsored areas to provide free weekly watering advice. This data is collected from an extensive network of weather stations, rain gauges, and a research-based understanding of plant water needs. The results allow experts to send customized weekly water advice for your specific lawn and irrigation system.
It's important to remember dormant grass is not dead grass. It's just resting. Dormancy is a naturally occurring event that allows grass to conserve water and nutrients. Most lawns will go dormant during the fall and remain dormant until the spring.
To effectively conserve water during the fall and winter, it is essential to monitor rainfall patterns and adjust watering schedules accordingly. Consider using a rain gauge to track precipitation and reduce watering on days when sufficient rainfall occurs. Additionally, deep watering, which involves applying water slowly and deeply to encourage root growth, is a more efficient method than frequent shallow watering.
You can return to that summer watering schedule once the sweltering heat returns, but until then, take the time to ensure you're not overwatering or wasting water and money. Small changes can go a long way in protecting a vital natural resource and the headache of a dead lawn.