Is your lawn getting enough water?

Lawn care is a year-long process.

A healthy lawn thrives with the right amount of water and nutrients. Even when the sun isn’t extreme, and the temperatures are cold, a lawn still needs water. That water requirement multiplies when higher temperatures lead to increased evaporation.

The experts at LawnLove.com, a lawn care and landscaping resource, say grass needs between 1 and 1 1⁄2 inches of water a week. Precipitation often takes care of all of a lawn’s water needs. But in times of drought or infrequent rain, it’s up to homeowners to provide the water a lawn requires.

If homeowners ask a dozen lawn experts what they recommend regarding watering, they will likely offer 12 different answers. The type of soil and grass affects how frequently a lawn needs to be watered. According to the lawn care company Organo Lawn, it’s better to do a deep watering two or three times a week to promote strong grass roots and maintain a healthy microbial composition in soil than to water the lawn daily, which leads to shallow roots and can wash away nutrients. However, homeowners need to recognize when their lawns are not getting ample water. Here are some signs a lawn needs a drink.

Visible footprints: Elasticity of the grass blades decreases when the lawn is not getting enough water. If you walk on the lawn and footprints do not bounce back in a short amount of time, you likely need to water.Gaps between lawn and sidewalk: Lawn Pride says soil can shrink in drought conditions. This may be visible when the lawn abuts a driveway, sidewalk, or planting beds. If you walk along the perimeter of a lawn and notice a gap between the grass and hardscape, it is time to water.Clumps of grass: When grass grows in clumps rather than uniformly across a lawn, it is a sign of drought stress.Presence of dollar spot fungus: Grass can become susceptible to this fungus, also called ascochyta leaf blight. It only develops in lawns with shallow grass roots caused by improper lawn watering. It’s common in parts of Colorado and elsewhere and is noticeable when damage to the turf begins in the middle of the grass foliage.Slow growth: A lawn that doesn’t seem to be growing well or doesn’t need to be mowed frequently is likely not getting enough water.