What comes to mind when you think of winter lawn care? Probably trimming trees, picking up branches or even raking up those last fallen leaves. But have you ever considered watering your grass during this time of year? If not, you might! Watering and using your sprinkler system in Burlington County, NJ on occasion during the winter is essential if you want to have a healthy lawn. This post will teach you everything you need to know about watering your lawn in the middle of the winter:
- Have a healthy lawn in the summer: If you’re like a lot of homeowners, you want a nice green lawn to enjoy in the warmer months. To ensure you have the best-looking lot on the block in the summer, it’s crucial to start watering today. Insufficient water now leads to dead roots, which means your grass will have to start growing from scratch in the spring. Additionally, watering throughout the year prevents your grass from being “shocked” when we get those heavy April showers in the spring.
- Your lawn isn’t dead: It might look like it, but your lawn isn’t dead right now—it’s just dormant. As mentioned above, running your irrigation system in Burlington County, NJ in the winter will keep the roots alive and ensure that your lawn doesn’t die any time soon.
- Freeze protection: Frozen grass is your worst nightmare if you care about your lawn. While you can’t do anything to control the temperature this winter, you can ensure your grass doesn’t freeze by watering it a day or two before an expected cold front. Healthy, watered grass is better at retaining heat, which means cold temperatures will have less of an effect on the blades.
How much water does my lawn need?
The good news regarding watering in the winter is that your grass doesn’t need nearly as much water to survive and stay healthy. Your grass needs up to two inches of water each week to survive in the middle of the summer. In the winter, however, most lawns only need about a half inch of water. This is because your grass isn’t as thirsty and not as much water is lost to evaporation. Depending on the weather, your grass may get enough water during winter from rainfall alone.
When should I water?
Knowing when to water your grass is just as important as how much to water to give it. We recommend watering your lawn in the morning or early afternoon, so that the water has time to soak down to the roots. Watering in the late afternoon or evening can even lead to fungal growth, since the water neither soaks into the roots nor evaporates.
To learn more about watering in the winter and caring for your irrigation system in Burlington County, NJ, just give Star Sprinkler Systems Inc. a call. Our friendly professionals have answers to all of your questions about watering in the winter, and can provide top-notch service if your sprinkler system is having issues.