Irrigation and water requirements

The lawn grasses themselves consist mostly of water. It is indispensable for the metabolism as well as for the transport of nutrients and the cooling of the plant. Already the loss of 5-10% within the grass leads to death. The water requirements of our grass species are different. Taking evaporation as a measure of demand, the sequence is as follows: Red fescue species < Perennial ryegrass < Meadow meadow grass < Tall fescue < Bentgrass < Annual meadow grass

The effective water consumption of grasses depends on a number of factors. These primarily include the temperature, the type of grass, the subsequent supply from the ground and of course the wind, which has a major influence on evaporation.

The following figures of thumb can be used to calculate the temperature:

If, however, this temperature influence is accompanied by wind, which increases evaporation, the water consumption is significantly higher.

The water storage capacity of the different types of soil varies greatly. Sandy soil in particular, with its wide pores, only has a low water storage capacity. Water runs through very quickly and the capillary rise from deeper soil layers is also only slight. Clay soil retains water best for plants. It remains available to plants in its interstices. Unlike in clay soils. The fine pores can store the most water, but it is so tightly bound that the grass cannot use it well. These differences affect irrigation.
 

It is important to watch the lawn. Because when the first symptoms of wilting appear, the available water in the soil is used up. The grass plants lose their luster and become bluish-grey. In addition, if footprints remain visible for a long time, i.e. if the stalks do not straighten up again quickly, the right time has come for a penetrating sprinkling. The best time to do this is in the late evening or at night. At this time of day, less water is lost through evaporation and there is less wind. A spade can be used to check how deeply the soil is soaked. Optimal is 10-15 cm, corresponding to 10-15 l/m2.

10-15 l/m2 is sufficient, especially on sandy soils. Sandy soil cannot store more water. It would seep away. Otherwise, around 15 l/m2 is a good guideline for the amount of water. The water distribution and the amount of water applied can be checked with a rain gauge, which is available from specialist retailers.

A penetrating sprinkling stimulates the deep root growth of the grass. They are "trained" to grow where the water does not evaporate as quickly and is therefore available longer. The natural drought tolerance is increased. Depending on the temperature and soil type, the lawn only needs to be watered once a week. The interval may be shortened in strong winds.

Many lawn owners think that lawns need to be watered every day. This opinion is wrong. Small daily doses reduce root growth to the very top centimeters of the soil. They dry out the quickest. This makes the lawn even more susceptible to drought.

There are many different methods available for sprinkling, which not only differ in terms of technology, handling and efficiency, but also very clearly in price. The spectrum ranges from the hand shower to the rain hose and the tripod sprinkler to fully electronically controlled pop-up sprinkler systems. Rapid development has taken place in the latter. Easily installed and easy to use, they provide a reliable water supply. A small computer takes over the management and complete control for the needs-based sprinkling of lawns and adjacent areas. They are therefore becoming increasingly popular. The question of which technology is the right one for the respective garden conditions can be answered by a good specialist garden retailer.

When purchasing a pop-up sprinkler system, care should be taken to ensure that there is a sufficient number of sprinkler heads for sufficient overlap. Advice on the optimal placement of the sprinkler heads is useful. Automatic drainage of the system is important. Otherwise the pipes will burst in the frost. Attention should also be paid to the problem of "calcification" of the system. A test of the irrigation water may be useful. After installation, check that the water is evenly distributed. Scar damage when laying the handy systems is quickly eliminated by sowing with a EuroGrass quality lawn mixture.

To avoid damage to the lawn, sprinklers and hoses should never be left on the lawn for an unnecessarily long time.