Monday, January 11, 2016

Do You Water Your Commercial Property Wisely?

Most of us living in the Phoenix Metro area are familiar with the slogan “Water Wisely.” But what does that mean when we are talking about a commercial property?

The average home bermudagrass 225 square foot lawn uses over 5,000 gallons of water per year. A properly xeriscaped yard, using native plants, can be maintained with little or no supplemental water.

Most folks consider that a lush green lawn makes a property look so much more appealing. That means proper maintenance and the correct amount of watering.

Signs of Underwatering
    Bermudagrass has bluish-grey tint.
    Grass doesn't spring back after being stepped on.
    It is difficult to push a screwdriver into the soil.
    Turf still feels warm in the evening after the sun goes down.

Signs of Overwatering
    Water is consistantly puddled in areas.
    Turf has a musty odor.
    Soil is extremely soft and mushy.
    Algae or mushrooms are present.

When Should You Water?
    Be a night owl.
    Night or early in the morning are the most effective times to water,
    because wind and evaporation are lower.
    High wind speeds distort sprinkler patterns and produce non-uniform irrigation.

But you may  want a lovely lush lawn in the winter, a time when we enjoy being outside? If you're planting a winter lawn, make sure you do so correctly, to keep maintenance and water to a minimum. Many municipal water departments and conservation offices offer classes on watering efficiently and designing water-efficient landscapes. Bermuda-grass lawns go dormant in the fall. Lawns should be established at least one year before overseeding with a cool-season grass. The process is traumatic, even for established lawns. To maintain the health of your Bermuda lawn, refrain from planting a winter lawn every three years. Do not overseed other types of grass lawns. Reduce the frequency of watering and fertilizing your Bermuda lawn to slow its growth and encourage it to go into dormancy quicker.

Watering frequency will depend on the weather and temperature. Water every 3 to 10 days, for about 15 minutes, but only to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. To measure water penetration, after watering, push the shaft of a long screwdriver into the soil to see how deeply it will go. If it goes deeper than 6 inches easily, you're watering too much. The water has flowed beyond the root zone and will not be used by the growing lawn. If it barely penetrates 3 inches, water a little longer so the water can reach the roots.

No matter what you call it, you don’t need to worry about your lawn maintenance. It doesn’t matter to us whether you want desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

Presented by:
Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC
623-848-8277

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