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Table of Contents

• How to Water your Lawn Correctly
• Water Drainage Problems
• Watering Trees and Shrubs
• How to Choose a Garden Hose
• How to Make a Simple Rain Gauge

How to Water your Lawn Correctly

Most homeowners water their lawns too much rather than too little. For the health of your lawn, and to conserve water, you want to try to provide the amount of water that your grass needs to thrive – no more, no less.

Grass needs about one inch of water per week. How do you know how much water you are providing? The only precise way is to measure it. You can buy a rain gauge or make a simple one from a tuna can. Mark one inch in depth on the empty can, then place it in your yard where you are going to water.

Water your lawn for 20 minutes and see how much water has accumulated in the can. This will help you adjust your watering knowing that a good general goal is one inch of water per week. This one inch may be best applied in two or more waterings rather than one – it will depend upon your soil type. With a sandy or light soil, the water will run through it more quickly rather than hold it. For this type of soil, light, more frequent waterings will be more beneficial to your lawn.

Another watering tip: Water only early in the morning. This will prevent evaporation of the water you are applying.

This article courtesy of B&S

Water Drainage Problems

Your lawn is different from spot to spot. Maybe it's too dry in one area, and almost muddy in others. That could be because of how your soil drains. It could be too sandy in one spot, letting water seep right through. Or, there could be too much clay, so water can't seep in at all and instead forms puddles that last for hours. You want soil that allows good drainage to provide moisture and air to the roots of your grass and plants. You can find out what kind of drainage problem you have with a simple test.

It pays to be a good detective to learn about the condition of your soil. Try digging a few test holes about 4 to 8 inches deep in problem areas of your yard. In dry spots, you're looking for rocks, trash, wood, or other debris. As you dig, examine the quality of your soil. Is it somewhere between clumpy and powdery? If so, you're in luck, because that fits the profile of ideal soil. Now, fill the holes with water to test the drainage. If they drain in less than 4 hours, your drainage is good. If it takes 12 - 24 hours, you have a drainage problem.

There are several ways you can improve your soil's drainage. You can aerate with a big machine that punches plugs out of your lawn. That can help if your lawn doesn't drain well. You can also add organic material, such as sphagnum, manure, or Scotts® Premium Humus & Manure. Over time, these materials soften up clay soils and help sandy soils retain moisture. If you're not sure about your soil's condition, you can try a soil test, available at your local garden center. If your lawn has a big, widespread area that won't dry out, you're going to need expert help that involves special layouts and drainpipes. Try the options mentioned above, and only call in the experts when they don't work.

This article courtesy of Scotts

Watering Trees and Shrubs

If you have mature trees and shrubs in your yard, you're in luck. You don't have to worry about watering them in most cases. New ones need water after you've planted them for about a year to become established. Rain does most of the work, but it helps to give even your mature trees and shrubs a good soaking now and then in the summer and for the first few years after planting.

The way your new trees and shrubs establish strong roots is by sending them out to where the water is. That's why you want to water deep. Shallow roots dry out and make the tree or bush unstable. Whether you use sprinklers, soakers, basins, furrows, or a drip system, the idea is to avoid runoff. Just stay under the drip line (the extent of the branches), water slowly over a long period of time, and let the water soak in.

Your shrubs need watering only when you plant them and for about a year afterwards. Their first summer is crucial, so water them well then. Once your shrubs are established, you only have to worry about watering them if you live in arid areas or during a drought.

In droughts, even mature trees can experience water stress. Signs to look for are wilting, leaf-color change, or a premature leaf fall. At those times, give your trees a good, long soaking.

Fruit trees are thirstier than other types. They typically need about two gallons of water per square feet of root space once a week. If you've just planted your tree, figure on about two to four gallons a week. Of course, rainfall and soil type can affect your watering, so dig in a few inches of soil to see if you need to water again. If your tree is out in the lawn, give it an additional deep soaking twice in summer, over and above your normal lawn watering.

This article courtesy of Scotts

How to Choose a Garden Hose

Everyone needs at least one water hose. Whether you are watering your lawn or flowerbeds, washing your car or rinsing your trash cans, a good quality hose will provide you with years of service.

• To determine the length of hose you need, consider the furthest point from your outdoor faucet where you will expect the hose to reach, then factor in a foot or two of slack.
• A rubber hose will last longer than most PVC (polyvinyl chloride) hoses. Rubber, however, is heavier and will cost more. Many hoses are made from a combination of these two materials. Look for a hose with several layers – or plies – of material. The higher the number of plies, the stronger the hose will be.
• Look for a flexible hose – one that easily forms a loop or u-shape. Rubber hoses tend to be more flexible, especially when the weather gets cool.
  Hoses come in different diameters: the larger the diameter, the more water the hose will deliver.
• A higher quality hose will have brass fittings, not plastic.

If you damage a garden hose coupling - maybe you drove over it and bent it - you can easily repair it in just a few minutes. Here are the three simple steps:

• Purchase a replacement coupling that matches the one that was damaged (there are male and female couplings – the female coupling is the one attached to your water faucet).
• Snip or cut the damaged coupling off the hose along with about an inch or two of the hose.
• Fit the new coupling into the hole at the end of the hose and tighten the clamp to make it leak-proof. The clamp may be plastic with tiny screws you tighten to bring the ends firmly together; or it may be brass, which you tighten by pinching the ends together with a pliers. Directions will be on the package.

Your hose will be good as new, and you can take pride in repairing a problem and saving the money you would have spent on a new hose.

This article courtesy of B&S

How to Make a Simple Rain Gauge

The average lawn needs about one-inch of moisture per week. How do you know how much water your lawn is getting from either Mother Nature or your sprinkler? Check it with a simple "rain gauge" you can make.

Take an empty tuna can or can of similar size and mark the one inch level on the inside of the can. Place one or more of these cans – space them about 15 feet apart - in an area you are going to water. Check how much water your sprinkler has applied to the area at intervals to determine how long it takes to apply one inch. You will now have a good idea of how long the sprinkler must be on to get a designated amount of moisture, and can adjust your watering methods accordingly. For example, you may want to apply a half-inch of water twice a week, so you will set the sprinkler for half the time.

This article courtesy of B&S

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