With summer officially here, your lawn is probably showing signs of the heat and dry weather. For many, the first response to keeping a healthy lawn during the heat of summer is to water more – longer zone times, more times during the week.
While this may work in the short term to green up your grass, in the long term, it can do more harm than good for your lawn. To help you get the most of your summer watering, the city offers these suggestions:
- Water no more than three days per week. Two days is best.
- Increasing zone times during July and August when it’s hottest is important; just keep the increases to five minutes or less per zone.
- Cycle water – split the time for each zone into two or three shorter cycles. This will allow water to soak into your yard instead of running off into the gutter.
- Use a water wetter, which helps soil maintain moisture more efficiently. These products are available at local garden centers.
- Water during the coolest part of the day. We recommend between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m.
- Set your mower height for longer grass. That will help keep water from evaporating from the soil.
Taking these steps will force your lawn to grow longer, more hardy roots. Over time, this will lead to a healthier, and more drought-tolerant lawn. In the short term, you may notice your lawn looks a little less green, but the next time our state is under drought conditions, your lawn will be ready to handle less water, even during the hottest parts of the summer.
If you have questions about water conservation in our city or any of Northglenn’s water conservation programs, please call 303.450.4070.
Sprinkler Audit
To get the most from your home’s irrigation system, and to grow a healthier, water-conserving lawn, consider a free irrigation system audit through the Slow the Flow program.
Residents can receive a free consultation and audit from the professionals at Resource Central.
For more information on the city’s Slow the Flow program or to schedule your free audit, contact Resource Central at 303.999.3824.