When rainy days go away

Florida’s normal rainfall averages over 50 inches per year with about half of this falling from June through September. During the normally dry winter and spring, lack of rainfall can be a serious problem. Even during the rainy season, the loss of water from plants and the soil may be so great that supplemental watering is often necessary.

It is difficult to give specific rules on watering because when to water and how much to apply depends on the type of soil, time of year and the weather conditions. However, the following guidelines should help in answering these questions.

Water only when plants need watering. Use a trowel, shovel or coring device to dig down several inches into the soil to see if it is wet in the root zone. If it feels very dry and crumbles, additional water is needed.

Another way is to keep a close watch on the lawn. If the grass looks as though it is wilting, it needs water. When the edge of the grass leaves fold up or curl and take on a dull bluish-gray color, your lawn needs watering immediately. Surprisingly, the lawn areas under trees are usually the first to show moisture stress. This is because tree roots rapidly deplete the available soil water.

Lawns should be watered in early morning, around sunrise, when winds and temperature are low. Water on the leaves will evaporate later in the day to help minimize disease which can multiply rapidly if they remain moist throughout the night. Late morning, mid-day and afternoon irrigation usually results in excessive loss of water from evaporation. And, strong winds are more likely to occur at these times, resulting in poor distribution of water on the lawn.

When watering, give the soil a thorough soaking. Frequent, light sprinklings waste water and do little to quench the thirst of a plant growing in a hot, dry soil. This type of watering often promotes a shallow root system which will be more likely to be damaged if a few days of watering are missed.

For Florida's sandy soils, ½ to 3/4 inch of water per application is sufficient. This is equivalent to 465 gallons of water for each 1000 square feet of lawn, and is enough water to wet the soil to a one foot depth. To determine when a sprinkler has delivered 3/4 inch of water, place flat (tuna or cat food) cans or pans at intervals in the area to be watered and measure the time needed to bring the average water level in the cans to the 3/4 inch. level This will give you the amount of time needed to run your sprinkler.

Typically, two watering per week in the summer and once every 10-14 days in the winter are needed. If rainfall occurs, irrigation should be suspended according to the rainfall amount. An inexpensive rain gauge is a great addition to your Florida Yard to help determine if watering can be skipped.

If you don’t have an irrigation system, hoses and conventional sprinklers can be used. Be sure to observe where the water lands to keep it from wetting driveways, sidewalks and roads. If you are not willing to watch your watch to tell when to turn it off, there are hose end timers that are either dialed up or operated with batteries to deliver the right amount of time. In the shrub or flower beds, consider purchasing a soaker or leaky hose which will deliver water exactly where it is needed.

Water conservation is our responsibility and we all must do our part if we are to continue to have water for irrigation. Excessive watering and watering the side walk and driveway increases lawn pests and weeds, and produces runoff. this waster resource can carry excessive nutrients into our water ways where it will promoting weed and algae growth.

The University of Florida has several bulletins on lawn irrigation. Contact our office if you would like additional information, or call or stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North. Our phone number is 763-6469, and you can email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu.

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin. Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida. Larry A. Arrington, Dean Last update: 06/20/2006 . This page is maintained by Dan Culbert