Signs You Have Overwatered or Underwatered Your Lawn

When it comes to keeping a lawn healthy and happy, one ingredient stands out above the rest: water. Many homeowners assume water is one of those things that takes care of itself, but that’s simply not the case. it is possible to go overboard and overwater your lawn. On the other hand, if you leave your lawn to be watered by Mother Nature, especially in Arizona’s dry desert climate, you’re leaving it thirsty and weak. Even if you’re supplementing rain with a little bit of your own sprinkler system, your lawn may be underwatered. Like most things in life, there’s a balance between too much and not enough.

It's just as easy to underwater a lawn as it is to overwater, particularly here in Arizona

So, how do you know if you’ve over or under watered your lawn? Take a look!

Signs of Overwatering

As far as your lawn is concerned, too much of a good thing really can happen. In situations where a lawn is being overwatered, the water displaces all of the oxygen. Since plants need oxygen and a positive air exchange to stay healthy, the displacement of oxygen can be extremely detrimental. When you saturate your lawn with too much water, your plants also aren’t getting enough (or any) nutrients. Between the lack of oxygen and nutrients, an overwatered lawn often won’t stand a chance.

The following are a few-negative effects associated with overwatering:

  • Overwatered lawns often become discolored, as the lower leaves turn yellow.
  • Loss of density. Thick, lush lawns can seldom be achieved when they’re overwatered.
  • Overabundance of Unwanted Weeds. Weeds love environments with too much water. If you’re seeing a sudden spike in unwanted foliage, overwatering could be a factor.
  • Thatch Takeover. Too much thatch is problematic for any lawn, as it prevents the layers beneath the soil from getting the nutrients necessary to grow. Since overwatering can discourage roots from growing deep into the dirt, they’ll begin to stop growing near the surface. As they become entwined, the end result can be a thatch mat that forms right at the top of the soil.
  • Bothersome Bugs. Excess water can turn into an open invitation for unwanted lawn pests, as the thatch problem mentioned above can often turn into a safe harbor for harmful insects.
  • Environmental Un-friendliness. Overwatering not only does no good for your lawn, it wastes water, making it an environmentally un-friendly.

 

Signs of Underwatering

It’s just as easy to underwater a lawn as it is to overwater, particularly here in Arizona where natural moisture can be infrequent at times.

Here are some things to look for if you’re wondering if you’re underwatering your lawn:

  • The very first sign of an underwatering situation is discoloration. When the blades aren’t getting enough water, the leaves will turn from green to bluish gray.
  • Change in Shape. A lack of moisture will cause the leaves to shrink or roll inward. You’ll notice the blades begin to go from wide and fat to wispy and wilted.
  • Slowed Growth. Although you probably don’t sit on your patio and watch your grass grow, you’ll likely start to notice that you have to mow your lawn less and less frequently. If you don’t have enough water to carry nutrients to the roots of your grass, your blades’ growth will slow.
  • Healthy grass can bounce back when you walk across it. Proper moisture keeps the blades plump, so they return to their original shape after your foot moves onto the next step. Underwatered lawns don’t have the ability to easily go back to their original shape when you step on them. As a result, if you walk across a dehydrated lawn, you’ll likely see remnants of your path behind you. This is a sure sign your grass is becoming dormant or dying.

 

Besides physical appearance, there are a few ways you can test your lawn that will help you discern signs of distress. For example, you should be able to stick a screwdriver into a healthy lawn. If you attempt to do this with a dehydrated lawn, you’ll probably be met with resistance and find that it’s difficult to get the screwdriver into the ground. Ideally, you should be able to put a screwdriver into the ground anywhere from four to six inches. Moisture facilitates the movement of the tool deeper into the ground; if your lawn doesn’t have enough moisture to get the ground to give, your screwdriver won’t be able to make it too far below the surface.

At Evergreen Turf, beautiful lawns are our business! If you’re trying to figure out which blades will be best for your front or backyard, walk through our Lawn Selector wizard today!

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