How often should you water your lawn after planting? Proper watering of the lawn

Careful green lawn with succulent grass requires regular care, which takes a lot of time and effort. A lawn watering system that can operate according to a given program in automatic mode will help make this task easier.

The irrigation system is designed for complete watering of the lawn using the sprinkling method. Thanks to the sprayers, the soil is moistened evenly, without eroding the top fertile layer, the roots receive a sufficient amount of moisture, and the grass remains fresh and juicy throughout the season.

The irrigation system includes the following components:

sprinklers that spray water;
a pumping station that ensures stable pressure in the system;
fine filters designed to trap foreign particles;
pressure regulators - they are used when installing sprinklers different types to equalize the water pressure;
solenoid valves, turning on and off the water supply to individual groups of sprinklers;
HDPE pipes connecting system elements;
controllers that control the entire system according to a given program.

Sprinklers are devices that spray water flowing through pipes in the form of small drops. When not in use, they are practically invisible on the surface of the lawn. When water is supplied, the sprinklers extend upward.

Sprinklers are:

static having a strictly defined direction and spray angle;
rotary, with a stream of water rotating due to an internal turbine;
pulse, in which the water jet rotates using a built-in ratchet mechanism.

Static sprinklers are installed in areas where a strictly defined spray angle is required (usually along the edges of the lawn, along buildings, fences and paths). Rotary and pulse sprinklers have a certain spray radius; they are mounted in the center of the lawn in such a way that there are no unwatered areas.

Underground garden sprinkler

To ensure uniform watering of the entire surface of the lawn, sprinklers with different spray radii are used. They are connected through individual pressure regulators.

The pumping station is installed at a water source - a water supply system, a well or a well. Power and Bandwidth pumping station selected based on the size of the lawn and the required watering volumes. The pumping station must be equipped with a fine filter to prevent sand, rust and other small impurities from entering the system.

At large area area, it is advisable to divide the sprinklers into separate groups, turning on in turn. This way you can reduce the required power pumping equipment and reduce acquisition costs. In this case, groups of sprinklers are switched on using solenoid valves controlled by a controller.

The controller and control unit are placed in convenient location, connect to electrical network and power the pumping station and solenoid valves from it. Control cables are laid hidden (underground) in a corrugated metal pipe.

Used as pipelines plastic pipes HDPE and connecting threaded fittings.

They assemble quickly and without use complex equipment, resistant to low temperatures, do not rot. The diameter of the pipes is selected based on the required throughput according to the calculation results.

When laying pipes at shallow depths, in a freezing layer of soil, drainage wells and drain valves are installed at the end of the system branches to drain the system and preserve it for a long time. winter period. Access to drainage wells should be simple and convenient.

You can also connect to the system trunk irrigation for trees/shrubs and drip irrigation for flower beds and flower beds. This type of irrigation is connected through a reducer, which reduces the water pressure. To prevent the irrigation system from operating in inclement weather, a rain sensor is included in the circuit - it is installed on open place and connect to the controller.

Note! The selection of components and assemblies for the irrigation system is carried out only after calculations have been completed and a sketch has been prepared.

Prices for a drainage well

drainage well

Design and sketch of an irrigation system

To start designing, you need an accurate site plan indicating the dimensions and objects located on it. The plan must indicate paths, recreation areas, and buildings that should not fall into the irrigation area. When using combined automatic irrigation, it is necessary to designate large trees, bushes and flower beds to which root irrigation is applied.

The preparation of a project can be divided into stages.

Step 1. Watering zones. If the lawn is divided by paths or a seating area, total area needs to be divided into separate areas. Jets of water during irrigation should not cross their (sections of) boundaries.

Step 2. Bandwidth and pipe diameter. At this stage, it is necessary to determine the maximum and optimal throughput of all pipeline branches. First, find out the diameter of the supply pipe at the point of connection to the water supply and pumping station. To determine the throughput, you can use Table 1.

Table 1. Throughput of HDPE pipes depending on their diameter.

Pipe outer diameter, mm	Water consumption, l/min.	Water consumption m3/hour
20	15	0,9
25	30	1,8
32	50	3,0
40	80	4,8
50	120	7,2
63	190	11,4

If the lawn is divided into sections, branching is done according to collector circuit- this will ensure equal pressure on all pipeline branches. The diameter of the main pipe to the collector should be no larger than the diameter of the supply pipe, the diameter of the branches should be less than the main pipe.

Step 3. Select the number of sprinklers. First you need to determine the installation location of static sprinklers with a limited irrigation angle. They are installed in the corners of the lawn and along paths and objects, directing the spray pattern onto the lawn. It is convenient to mark the irrigation zone on the plan using a compass.

Then radial sprinklers, static or rotating, are distributed in the center of the site. The irrigation zone of each sprinkler is outlined with a compass on the plan. In this case, you can use sprinklers with different watering radii.

Step 4. Selecting sprinklers. Based on the sketch, suitable sprinklers are selected, taking into account the radius and angle of irrigation, and the diameter of the thread. In this case, you should take into account an error of 10-15% and choose sprinklers with a margin.

Step 5. Installation location of EM valves and controllers. A separate solenoid valve must be installed for each separately switched irrigation branch. If possible, they are installed in one place, this ensures ease of maintenance. Control controllers are located in a protected location, but at the same time care should be taken to ensure convenient access for control and programming.

Mark the position of the EM valves and controllers on the plan.
1. Controller at the entrance to the house.
2. Solenoid valve block.
3. Pumping station.

Step 6. Layout of pipelines. Pipe laying lines are marked on the plan, choosing the minimum length and number of turns. Branches are grouped whenever possible. The diameter of the pipes is consistent with the diameter of the sprinkler threads. Mark the pipes and necessary fittings on the plan.

Step 7. Selecting the performance of pumping equipment. When installing a pumping station, you need to coordinate its performance with the flow of water for irrigation. The total water consumption of all simultaneously operating sprinklers is determined, possible losses, which can reach 20%, are taken into account, and a pumping station is selected.

Step 8. Drainage wells. They are installed at the lowest points of the site. One or more branches of the pipeline are brought into the wells. The location of drainage wells must be chosen so that they are not conspicuous, but are easy to maintain. In the figure, the position of the wells is indicated in blue.

Step 8. Auxiliary equipment. Filters and shut-off valves are selected according to the parameters of the pipeline, and the location of their installation is marked on the plan. They are also designing the installation of rain and soil moisture sensors.

For ease of reading the drawing of the irrigation zone, you can highlight different colors, and also indicate the designations of elements using symbols.

Note! For convenience, simultaneously with the plan, a specification is drawn up, which includes the quantity and characteristics of the selected elements.

DIY lawn watering system installation

To independently install an irrigation system, you need skills in electrical and plumbing work. If they are absent, it is better to contact specialists. Step-by-step instruction installation and connection of the system automatic watering lawn is shown below.

Step 1. Marking the lawn. Using special environmental paint or chalk filling, mark the location of the pipeline, installation of equipment and drainage wells according to the sketch. If the system is installed before laying the lawn, markings can be done using pegs and twine or warning tape.

Step 2. Preparation of trenches for the pipeline. Dig trenches of the required depth according to the markings. For a non-drainable system, pipes are laid below the freezing level of the soil - at a depth of at least 1 m. For a system with the ability to drain, a depth of 30-40 cm is sufficient, in this case it is necessary to maintain a slope of 1-3 degrees and equip each branch with a drainage well with a depth of at least 1 m, diameter – 0.3-0.4 m.

If the system is installed on an existing lawn, before excavating the soil, carefully cut the turf in layers or rolls and put it on a separate area. Rolls or sheets must be moistened regularly. The soil from the trenches is removed layer by layer with a shovel and put aside (on film) so as not to damage the rest of the lawn surface.

Step 3. Pipeline connection. Lay pipes of the selected diameter along the dug trenches. When temperature changes linear dimensions HDPE pipes change, so laying is done without tension with a margin of 5-10% - this must be taken into account when cutting. Connect the pipeline sections using fittings according to the sketch. Carefully lay the pipeline at the bottom of the trench, observing the slope. To fix the pipeline, it is lightly sprinkled with soil at individual points.

Step 4. Equipment of drainage wells. For wells, use special containers or a pipe with a diameter of 0.3-0.4 m and a length of 1 m. It is dug in vertically, and the bottom is covered with crushed stone at a depth of 20-40 cm. The pipes are led into the well and closed with a shut-off valve. The top of the well is equipped with a lid.

Step 5. Installation of the manifold assembly and solenoid valves. The pipeline branches are connected through solenoid valves to the manifold assembly. The valves are installed near the pumping station in a convenient place for maintenance in protective boxes.

The valves are controlled from the controller; it can be installed either in a box or in a place convenient for control (in the second case, it is necessary to provide for laying a cable from the controller to a protective box with EM valves). The cable is laid in the ground in protective pipe or corrugated metal sleeve.

Step 6. Connecting the pumping station. Pumping equipment is placed at the point of connection to the water supply or well in a protective box, caisson or inside the building. The pumping station connection diagram is shown in the figure.

Pumping stations can be equipped with an automatic control system; it prevents the pump from turning on in “dry running” mode and controls operating parameters. The automation unit can be placed directly on the pump body or in a separate control box. When installing a remote automation unit, it is convenient to combine it in one box with the irrigation system control controller.

Step 7. Connecting the irrigation system. The branches of the irrigation system are connected to solenoid valves mounted on the manifold. The main pipeline is connected to the pumping station and the collector through a fine filter.

Step 8. Check and test run the system. Shut off all valves on drainage wells. Turn on the pumping station and build up the required pressure in the hydraulic accumulator, after which open the valve on the main pipe of the irrigation system.

From the control unit, open the solenoid valves on each branch one by one and check all connections for leaks. During the inspection process, water flushes the system from foreign particles that entered the pipeline during installation.

Note! During test runs, it is recommended to reduce the pressure from the pumping station to the minimum rated value.

Step 9. Attaching sprinklers. Sprinklers are connected to the pipeline according to the sketch, while for static sprinklers it is necessary to observe the direction of spraying. Start the system again and check its performance.

Step 10. Backfilling the system with soil and laying the lawn. Carefully fill the pipelines with previously excavated soil, observing the slope of the pipes, and compact them layer by layer. The last layer is filled fertile soil with the addition of special lawn fertilizers. Pre-cut layers of turf are placed in place, watered and pressed. If necessary, reseed lawn grass.

Maintaining a healthy lawn is a complex task that includes many activities. The most important of these is irrigation. But if you water your lawn at random, you can harm the plants.

The frequency of watering depends on a number of factors:

irrigation purpose;
soil type;
weather;

According to the purpose of watering there are:

landing. It is carried out after or daily for 7-14 days in small doses. Freshly sown soil especially needs watering: having a black color, it is well heated by the sun and therefore quickly loses moisture;
vegetative. The main type of irrigation. Carry out throughout the warm season at intervals of every 3-10 days;
feeding. Lawns are watered after fertilizing;
supportive. Applies after ;
refreshing. It is used when necessary when air humidity is low;
moisture-charging. Its purpose is to saturate the soil with moisture. Mostly carried out in the fall, but sometimes required in the spring;
anti-frost. Apply in spring one day before frost.

Weather is taken into account as follows:

hot dry: the lawn is watered daily;
moderately hot: with accepted for of this type soil frequency (vegetation watering) - once every 3-10 days;
during cool periods, for example in autumn: once every 10-15 days.

About a week before frost, stop watering the lawn (usually in October).

How important is it to stick correct schedule watering - depends on the type of grass, here are some examples:

red, sheep's and tall fescue, perennial ryegrass: able to tolerate dry conditions for a long time;
chaff, meadow grass: medium hardiness;
white bentgrass, common bluegrass: tolerate only the shortest dry periods without consequences.

Plants of the first group are drought-resistant (when completely dry aboveground part and the roots do not die, falling into suspended animation). When the soil is moistened, they awaken and grow.

Signs that it’s time to water the lawn include:

grass crushed by feet or wheels takes more than half an hour to recover;
leaves are curled and bent;
the color of the lawn has become dark green or bluish-gray, withered shoots are noticeable.

An important criterion: the soil must have time to dry out between waterings. The need to extract water from the depths forces the root system to develop.

Best time to water

Define best time The following analysis will help you water your plants:

Middle of a day. Watering the lawn during the day in clear weather leads to unpleasant consequences. The grass suffers from burns. Like glass lenses, water droplets focus sunlight, concentrating its energy on small area. An unreasonable amount of water is wasted. During the day, due to the heat, a significant part of the water evaporates and if a meter is installed on the water supply, the lawn owner incurs extra costs;
evening. Although the sun is no longer hot, evening watering is still undesirable: green carpet remains wet all night, which leads to the development of diseases. So that the grass has time to dry, water is supplied from 16-00 to 18-00, no later than;
morning. Perfect option, completely devoid of shortcomings.

Late evening watering is allowed only in extreme heat, when the temperature during the day exceeds 40 0 C, and at night does not fall below 28. Water will prevent the plants from burning and at the same time, when heated by the sun, they will quickly dry out.

Norms for different soils

In addition to the frequency of watering, great importance has the amount of water supplied.

Deviations from the norm lead to undesirable consequences:

lack of moisture. Only soaked in water upper layer soil, therefore the roots develop only here. Deeper root system withers, because of this the plant weakens and loses its ability to tolerate drought. On average, grass roots reach a depth of 10-20 cm, some representatives go down to 50 cm. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain soil moisture at an acceptable level to a depth of 30 cm;
excess moisture. Puddles of water on the site contribute to the development of fungal diseases, grass rotting, and the lawn becomes waterlogged. Therefore, attempts to water the plants for future use are unacceptable.

Stagnation of water in a site due to excessive watering is not always observed - it depends on the type of soil. All types of soil are essentially a mixture of sand and clay taken in different ratios. The higher the proportion of clay inclusions, the worse soil absorbs moisture (low filtration).

Accordingly, on clayey area with an “overdose” of watering, there are puddles, whereas through sandy water, the water will simply seep through (high filtration) and go deeper. The latter, although it does not harm the plants, is also undesirable, since it causes excessive water consumption.

Puddles can also appear during normal watering if the area is not properly planned. In this case, unevenness is eliminated or a drain is organized.

Types of soil

Irrigation rates are determined not so much by the type of soil as by the climate:

cool damp: water is supplied at the rate of 25 l/sq.m per week;
hot dry: 50 l/sq.m per week.

The influence of soil type on the irrigation method is shown in the table:

Soil characteristics	Moisture filtration rate	Watering method
Clay soil (high proportion of silt particles)	Low	Vegetative watering is carried out once every 7-10 days. In this case, water stagnation is avoided by using a fractional scheme: water is supplied in small portions several times a day
Loamy soil (the proportion of silty particles slightly exceeds the proportion of large ones)	Moderate	Watering is carried out 2-3 times a week. At the same time, the duration of watering is increased. The weekly norm, determined by the type of climate, is divided into the number of waterings. For example, in a cool, humid climate, with a watering frequency of 2 times a week, water is supplied in an amount of 12-13 l/sq.m. per watering. In this case, the following condition is met: the minimum amount of water per irrigation is 10 l/m2. With a smaller amount, only the surface layer of soil is moistened, which does not allow roots to develop at depth
Sandy soil (high proportion of coarse particles)	High	The lawn is watered 3-4 times a week, stretching the watering time to the maximum possible

On the site with clay soil It is useful to arrange a gravel-sand cushion: the soil is selected to a depth of 40 cm and successively layers of gravel and sand 10 cm thick are poured into the excavation. Each layer is compacted, and the extracted soil is poured on top of the cushion.

Tools and systems

You cannot water lawns with a stream of water, especially one supplied with significant pressure: the roots are exposed due to soil washing out, and there is a risk of damage to the stems.

The following methods are used:

sprinkling: Water is sprayed with a nozzle into small droplets that fall on the plants from above. The preferred method, since at the same time the grass is cleaned, and this makes the lawn look attractive. And when serving cold water small droplets have time to warm up during the fall, and the plant does not suffer from temperature shock;
drip poly c: moisture is supplied through drip tapes laid along the site (essentially perforated hoses) directly to the base of the stems. The method is used in narrow areas and others where the use of sprinklers covering a large area is unprofitable or impossible.

There are several types of sprinklers:

oscillatory. Design: short tube with several holes. The units are designed for servicing large lawns;
rotary. Spraying is carried out through a rotating head. The advantage is the adjustable irrigation radius. This makes the rotary sprinkler universal. It is suitable for any size lawn;
fan. Like rotary ones, they allow you to adjust the range of action. Easy to use and designed primarily for flat horizontal areas;
pulsating. Throw out water in a stream. Often used in combination with other sprinkler systems. Pulsing devices are more suitable for compact lawns. Advantage: the irrigation angle is set by the user, which allows the device to be used for irrigation corner zones plot;
micro-sprinkling. The most gentle way. The water supplied through the nozzle is divided into many thin jets that are unable to damage even the thinnest and most delicate plants. Micro sprinklers are indispensable on lawns with.

Automatic watering

The passport of the irrigation installation indicates its productivity and range of action at various pressures, which allows you to calculate the required duration of irrigation. The productivity of drip tapes is usually indicated in l/h, of sprinklers - in l/min.

Let's look at an example:

the lawn is located in a region with an average climate in temperature and humidity: the watering rate is 40 l/m2 per week;
soil - loamy: watering is carried out 3 times a week, therefore, at one time the required amount of water is 40/3 = 13.3 l/m2;
a rotary sprinkler is used with the following characteristics (at a given pressure): service area - 80 m 2, productivity - 20 l/min.

The duration of watering in minutes will be: T = (13.3 * 80) / 20 = 53.2 minutes. When using homemade sprinklers, their performance is determined by placing 0.5 liter cans around the area and then measuring the height of the water accumulated in them.

Converting the height of the water column to specific volume is simple: if after an hour 10 mm of water has accumulated in the jar, it means that the specific volume of irrigation is 10 l/m2. At the same time, this test allows you to determine the uniformity of watering.

Automatic watering systems are the most convenient to use. They are equipped with a programmable controller and two types of sensors: weather and soil moisture.

User participation is required only once: he enters data on the frequency, time and duration of watering. Then the system functions independently, monitoring the degree of soil moisture and canceling watering in rainy weather.

The most expensive models are equipped with retractable sprinklers: when not in use, they do not interfere with lawn care and do not spoil its appearance. An automatic irrigation system saves not only the owner’s time and effort, but also water, using it with maximum rationality.

The most durable systems with polyethylene pipes on compression fittings. Irrigation systems Gardena, Hunter, ClaberRain BirdToro, MetzerplasIrritrol have proven themselves well.

Video on the topic

How to properly water a lawn:

With proper watering, your lawn will be healthy and attractive. If the above recommendations are neglected, this will immediately affect the appearance of the lawn. To waste a minimum amount of water, it is advisable to purchase an automatic watering system and avoid mowing the lawn too often or too short.

Proper watering plays the main role in the formation of a lawn, so every home owner must know how often to water the lawn after planting. If you wish to have perfect lawn, on which children could play and walk barefoot, you should especially carefully monitor the regular flow of water into the area.

Perfect, low-cut, weed-free grass is the result of our meticulous lawn care. This opinion is shared by professional gardeners.

As numerous studies have shown, quite a lot of moisture evaporates from even grass cover. As a rule, this value reaches 25 liters per 1 m². And if the owner wants to see the lawn in good condition, it should be watered regularly, especially on dry summer and spring days.

Immediately after planting, the lawn requires abundant watering. After this, you need to water the lawn frequently. On hot summer days, you should provide the soil with a daily portion of moisture, and if we are talking about a cooler and wetter period of the year, then you should monitor the condition of your lawn, which will clearly demonstrate the lack of water.

If you are in doubt whether you need to water your lawn or whether it is better not to do it, you need to take moisture readings at a depth of 10 cm.

In addition, the need for watering can be demonstrated appearance herbs. If it lacks moisture, it acquires a grayish tint, fades and becomes completely dull. At the same time, many weeds take root well in dry soil, so if you notice the appearance of foreign crops on the site, you should water the lawn generously.

In order to increase the lawn's resistance to drought, a number of measures should be taken to deepen the root system. To do this, during the dry period it is necessary to break through the upper, coarsened ball of soil, which does not allow most of the moisture and other elements to pass through. minerals. After piercing, mulching should be carried out throughout the entire area.

Watering after planting a lawn depends primarily on climatic conditions and the type of soil available. For example, sandy soils need more frequent watering than chernozems and loams, since sands transmit moisture much faster than other rocks. Of course, watering in hot weather should be done several times more often than in other weather conditions.

The main rule that every gardener should remember is that you need to water the lawn only when the soil is dry, otherwise the area will be too saturated with moisture and turn into one continuous swamp.

Main types of irrigation

Indeed, any owner of a property needs to know how to water a lawn and what available means this can be done.

At first glance, it may seem that good watering requires only water and a hose, but this is absolutely not the case. Lawn watering is carried out according to its intended purpose and therefore is divided into several types.

The first type of irrigation is planting. It is carried out only when planting plants. The main goal is to create favorable conditions for normal plant growth. In this case, the water consumption is about 3 m³ per approximately one hundred square meters of land.

The second type of irrigation is called vegetative. It is carried out to increase moisture reserves under a thick layer of turf. The frequency of such watering primarily depends on the weather. It is almost impossible to determine water consumption, since various varieties plants require different quantities moisture. The average consumption is one cubic meter per hundred square meters of land.

There is also a fertilizing type of irrigation, which is necessary if fertilizers are applied to the soil. Water consumption is approximately the same as in the previous case. Refreshment watering is usually carried out when there is enough moisture in the soil, but due to unfavorable conditions weather conditions Plants need moisture on their stems and leaves. Water consumption in this case is small and amounts to no more than 1 m³ per hundred square meters.

Moisture-recharging irrigation is carried out in spring or autumn. They are necessary to provide moisture throughout the winter both in the upper and lower layers of the soil. The consumption for such irrigation is about 10 cubic meters of water per hundred square meters. In case of high occurrence groundwater this consumption can be reduced by half.

The last type of irrigation is anti-frost. This watering is carried out a day before frost. Water consumption averages 2 cubic meters per hundred square meters.

Every property owner should know how often to water their flowerbeds and lawns so that their appearance can truly please the eyes of others. Although watering is not a very complicated process, you should still know the basic rules, and if you follow them, you can grow a wonderful lawn.

A well-groomed, luxurious lawn can rightfully be considered a real decoration for any country house or garden plot. It will take a lot of effort to be independent, but the site will require even more attention in the first years of its life. This includes timely cleaning, cutting, sowing seeds, proper feeding and soil fertilization, and most importantly - timely and sufficient. How to water the lawnRight, what kind of watering equipment will be able to provide abundant but delicate watering, which is preferable? frequency watering and what are the averages norms Are they recommended for lawns? You will find answers to all your questions after reading this article.

1. How can you tell if your lawn needs watering?

Many wrong They believe that regular moistening is required for the lawn only after its initial sowing and until the first shoots appear, and then Mother Nature will take care of everything herself. After all, for example, the forest is full of green lawns that no one takes care of, but they look fresh and very lively. Indeed, grasses in their natural habitat are much more resilient than on an artificially planted lawn. This happens because in wildlife all grass has a large height and long leaves and stems, which help accumulate moisture and increase its reserves, thereby deepening the root system. The longer the roots, the more moisture they can extract from the ground.

The lawn can be mowed regularly, and the height of its plantings barely reaches 10-15 cm. Hence the main problem – a shallow, superficial root system that lies at a depth of 10-15 cm and very quickly succumbs to drought. It is not at all difficult to determine the moment when water reserves have completely dried up and it is necessary to replenish its losses.

Of course, the easiest way is to stick a stick into the ground. If it easily penetrates to a depth of about 15 cm, then the moisture reserve in the soil is still sufficient. But you won’t resort to this method every time.

We encourage you to take a close look at your lawn. If you notice the following signs, then it’s time to water:

The grass has acquired an unhealthy bluish or grayish tint;
In places where the sun constantly shines, the grass has become paler than in other places;
Bald spots appeared;
The stems began to curl;
After you walked on the lawn or ran over it with a lawn mower, the grass was not able to quickly restore its shape in a short period of time;
General decline of green cover.

When the moment is completely lost - you did not attach importance to the change in color, or you simply weren’t there - the grass turns yellow and withers. Drought-tolerant grasses can be saved even after they have completely withered. After abundant watering, they are able to recover. But the appearance of the lawn is still for a long time will not bring aesthetic pleasure from contemplating it.

2. When is the best time to water?

One of important factors determining the effectiveness of water procedures is the time at which they are performed. Let's consider everything possible options with their advantages and disadvantages:

3. Standards for water consumption by herbaceous plants

It is very important to understand the line between abundant watering and overwatering, and also to avoid underwatering in any case. Many argue that it is better to water the lawn more often, but for less time. This judgment is fundamentally wrong and won't bring absolutely none benefits. On the contrary, the evaporation coefficient will be very high, the grass will get wet only superficially, and the soil will not have time to soak to the very roots. Such short-term showers can only be used to refresh the area and reduce the ambient temperature. Therefore, it is better to water the lawn once, But in sufficient quantity. It is almost impossible to calculate a clear rate of water consumption for a given area. We can only generalize and say that 1m2 earth needs 15-20 liters of water.
This indicator directly depends on the mechanical soil composition on your site:

Light sandy soils quickly pass through any amount of moisture and are not able to retain and accumulate it in sufficient quantities. The reason for this is their increased friability. Such soils require more water, and the norm in this case is up to 35 liters per square meter. But it is very difficult to overwater such soil. Water can go quite deep without harming the plant's horse system.
Clay soils heavier and denser, they retain moisture well and can nourish plants for much longer. Such a lawn can be watered much less frequently and water consumption rates will be much lower. When watering a lawn with this type of soil, make sure that no puddles form on the surface. Water can stagnate for quite a long time, especially if the soil has already become saturated and is no longer able to absorb water. The shallow root system may rot. After drying excess moisture the top layer of the earth will become compacted, a hard crust will form, which will prevent the flow of oxygen to the roots. As soon as the lawn stops “breathing”, the grass will begin to wither. In this case, you need to fluff up the top layer of soil as quickly as possible.

Recommended rate water is often determined by the depth of the root system and is not mandatory. You should not strictly adhere to it if you know that the roots of your lawn have gone 25 or even 30 cm deep. In this case, you need to increase the amount of water so that the moisture reaches the deepest roots. Just remember that 35-50 liters per square meter moisten the soil to a depth of 10 cm.

Now let’s move on to the answer to a logical question that has probably already appeared in your head - and How actually determine how many liters water necessary pour it onto your area so that it is saturated with moisture to a depth of 10 cm. This is very simple to do:

When starting your next watering, take a clock or timer and ruler with you;
Place an empty glass jar on the ground at different ends and in the middle of the area;
Open the water and at the same time note the time or turn on the timer;
Monitor the water level in the jars. When it reaches the 1.3 cm mark, it can be said that the lawn has received about 10-15 liters of water per square. At a mark of 2.5 cm - about 20-25 liters. To more accurately determine the amount of liquid, and at the same time to understand how evenly irrigation occurs, measure the water level in all jars, add and divide by their number.

For convenience, you can make a mark on the wall of the jar in advance with a marker, the height of which will be the treasured 10 cm. Once the liquid is reached set height, turn off the timer. Now you know exactly not only the amount of water required for high-quality watering of your lawn, but also the time during which it should be carried out. Next time the banks will no longer be needed.

4. How often should you water your lawn?

You already know exactly when and for how long it is best to water your lawn. Now it's time to decide on the frequency of watering. She depends on many factors:

Mechanical composition of the soil;
Depth of the root system;
Weather conditions;
Landscape features.

About different standards water consumption by sandy or clay soils we already talked. The former need to be moisturized much more abundantly and more often. The deeper the root system is, the longer but less frequent the watering should be. If your site has sloping areas, or located entirely on a slope, the level of water absorption at different points will be different. To prevent overwatering in one place and obvious underwatering in another, such lawns recommend water using method 15 every 5. Where 15 is the watering time, in minutes. And 5 is the absorption time, also in minutes. At such intervals it will be possible to achieve best result.
Most summer residents think that if they lawn to be in shady area, then it should be watered much less often. The determining factor in this case is the object that creates the shadow. If this is a shadow from a house or other building, then they are partly right. If the lawn is located in the shade of trees or tall bushes, then it requires even more frequent watering than one located in an open area under the scorching sun. This is due to the fact that the root system large plants attracts moisture and nutrients much stronger and more intensely. And the thin root system of cereal plants barely has time to receive the required minimum.

Also plays an important role climate of the region, in which you live. If the daytime temperature is not too high and there is periodic heavy rainfall, then one watering per week is sufficient. If precipitation is irregular and the day is quite hot, water the lawn 2-3 times a week. Just try to stick golden mean- water when the top layer has completely dried to a depth of 10 cm. After all, it can often rain for two weeks, and then a slight drought will begin, and it will be difficult to navigate the weather.

5. Lawn watering equipment

To ensure that watering does not take a lot of time and effort, and most importantly, is economical and practical, you need to choose an irrigation system that will match the size and shape of your lawn. Let's start with the simplest methods:

Watering with hand watering can. Despite all modern technologies and devices that can make the watering process completely automated, many people enjoy watering with their own hands. It is wise to do this only on small lawns, otherwise it will be too long and tedious. Be sure to choose watering cans with frequent but small diameter holes. Then the water jets will be thin and will not wash away the delicate roots. Also garden watering can useful for watering hard-to-reach areas or where local watering is needed.
Watering with help is one of the simplest and available methods lawn irrigation. In order to make watering more gentle and prevent even short-term wetting with a jet of strong pressure, as sometimes happens when pinching the edge of the hose with your finger, use special diffuser nozzles. Inconvenience This method of watering means that you must constantly carry the hose with you and do not skimp on its length. This way you can water areas of any size and shape.
For watering long and narrow green strips, they are best suited perforated hoses. Due to the fact that there are many small holes along their entire length, water is evenly sprayed in all directions, which ensures cooling of the above-ground space and gentle watering.
Watering the lawn using various sprinklers. These are special nozzles that can be either stationary or movable, which imitate natural rainwatering. It is believed that this is the most optimal method of watering for lawns. Especially considering that you can choose the optimal type of sprinkler for different areas and even shapes of the site. So, for example, there are circular sprinklers that are suitable for irrigation. Rotating sprinklers are suitable for watering round and oval lawns. You can adjust the range and pressure intensity and avoid unwanted watering of unnecessary areas. For watering rectangular or square areas there is a floating or oscillating sprinkler Its nozzle swings smoothly in one direction or the other. By setting the necessary settings, you can adjust the length of the water jets. Big advantage sprinklers is that the water disperses and turns into very small splashes, which, before hitting the ground and grass, have time to heat up to the ambient temperature. The risk of causing stress to plants is minimal. Disadvantage of such systems is that in a strong wind a certain amount of water is carried away and for high-quality irrigation a larger amount is required. Also, with such irrigation there is a very high evaporation rate.
Drip system Watering the lawn is also very effective and allows you to moisten the soil even during the day without harm to the plants. In this case, the water goes directly to the roots. All over the area, which brings some inconvenience when mowing the lawn. After all, the hoses will have to be twisted and untwisted every time.
Subsoil The irrigation system has a minimal evaporation rate. It is a system of pipes or hoses laid underground throughout the entire site. There are microholes on the walls of the pipes, which supply water to the roots. Thanks to the special structure of the hoses, which are labyrinths for the passage and accumulation of liquid, the holes rarely become clogged even with wet soil. The only “but” is that you should think about such an irrigation system before arranging and preparing a place for a lawn.
Automatic The irrigation system also consists of pipes laid underground. In certain places, the pipes come to the surface, and various attachments are attached to them, including sprinklers, which disperse the water. When choosing such an irrigation system, think about the fact that mowing the lawn will be much more convenient if the sprinklers are recessed. It is also necessary to set up an automatic system in advance. For greater convenience, it can be equipped with a sensor that determines soil moisture, a precipitation sensor and a timer. This will allow the system to turn on only when necessary or when certain time. For supporting healthy looking In this case, your presence is not necessary.

One more question - where to get water for watering. In order to save money, many people install special settling tanks on their property that serve to collect rainwater. They can be fitted with a ball valve and an adapter for a certain hose diameter. Another way to save is to take water from a natural reservoir - a lake or river. To do this, you will need a special submersible pump that can provide the necessary pressure. or the well will also have to be equipped with a pump. But water this cold water directly from the source is not recommended. It is better to sharpen it into a container and wait until it reaches temperature or use spray nozzles. Then the temperature difference will not be felt. Well, the easiest way is to draw water from the central water supply.

6. How to protect your lawn from drought?

There are especially dry months when any plants need more water. But it happens that it is not possible to install an automatic watering system on your site, just as it is not possible to come every day to carry out watering. In such situations there are several tips to help your lawn cope with drought without watering:

Weeds must be removed regularly. This will allow the grass to grow continuously and without obstruction and will reduce water consumption. Weeds, by the way, absorb moisture in much greater quantities than cereals.
Along with timely removal of unwanted plants, feed the lawn with seasonal fertilizers. Then the soil will be rich in microelements and fertile.
Don't mow your lawn as often or as short as usual. Let the grass grow much taller than usual. Thus, it will create a shadow for itself, and the surface layer of soil will dry out more slowly.
The grass clippings can be left directly on the lawn. It will help retain moisture in the soil.

Thus, the lawn can last up to two weeks without watering. However, it is not recommended to do this all the time.

To increase sustainability plot to drought care must be taken to strengthen the root system. To do this, regularly pierce the turf with a pitchfork in the fall - this will prevent the soil from compacting and becoming impenetrable to water and oxygen. You can cover the lawn with mulch. Such simple recommendations will keep your lawn in good condition at its best and protect it from drying out.