Bradenton lawn care during summer storms hinges on six important words…
After yet another hot, dry spring, we’re finally starting to get things going again with our usual summer storms. This is great news for your landscape! But it can be a bit whiplash-inducing to go from “watering as much as you can” to “…how much should I be watering now?”
There are a lot of reasons to get your watering right: Over-watering drains our local resources and it drains your pocketbook. But as we move from trying to keep our plants watered ourselves to letting Mother Nature do most of the work, it’s important to remember that over-watering can actually hurt your lawn, too.
Here are some summer tips from an experienced Bradenton landscaper.
Those Six Magic Words
When it comes to watering in Florida, experts always start with the six magic words:
Watch the weather; wait to water.
Did you know that your Bradenton lawn needs less than an inch of water every two or three days in the summertime? Maybe as little as half an inch a couple times a week? When our summer weather gets rolling, many of us get this kind of rainfall on a regular basis.
Your first step might be installing a rain gauge if you don’t already have one. It’s an easy way to check how much rain you’re getting.
If you like to water in the morning—or if that’s the way your irrigation system is programmed—then it’s time for changes. You’re not doing your yard any favors if you water in the morning and then it gets rained on later in the afternoon. (Also, don’t be one of those people whose irrigation system kicks on during a rainstorm. That’s just silly.)
The moral of the story is: If your yard needs water, check to see if the weather is going to take care of that for you later in the day.
Protect Against Over-Watering
After going through a drought, it can be hard to process how damaging over-watering can be. Bradenton lawn and landscape care this time of year means protecting your plants against the perils that come with soggy earth and scorching-hot weather.
The biggest concerns are bacteria and fungal growth, which can cause root rot and other damage in your landscape. Here are a few ways to combat heavy rains:
- Don’t water until you see the signs. If you’ve gone for a few days without rain and your yard is starting to wilt or dull, that’s when it’s time to turn on the sprinklers. (Provided the forecast is clear, too.)
- Know the signs of issues. Bacteria and fungus often cause visible signs like spots, rotting stems and mildew.
- Tread lightly. If the grass is squishy, don’t walk on it. Packing down wet earth can damage the roots.
- Move the mulch. If your flower beds show signs of too much water, moving mulch away from the plants can help facilitate evaporation and dryer soil.
How a Bradenton Landscape Company Can Help
Of course, we can’t control the weather. The rains are going to come. And honestly, one of the best solutions is to have a landscape that’s already prepared to handle the rain.
Professional landscapers can make a big difference. Drainage is an incredibly important part of landscape design. During a full-scale redesign, we’ll get down to the soil to eliminate dips and ditches where puddles can form.
Big South Lawn and Landscape also offers comprehensive irrigation systems—which include efficient sprinkler layout as well as an easy-to-use automated interface. We’ll even show you how to operate it (and help you out if you’re having trouble). A simple, well-designed irrigation system means you have complete control over how often and how much you water.
Another solution can include filling low spots with water-loving plants to create a “rain garden.” There are loads of beautiful plants that can help serve this purpose, including blue flag iris, aquatic milkweed, and the appropriately named “swamp sunflower.”
Not only can a rain garden be a beautiful addition to a Florida landscape, but it reduces runoff and helps to replenish the natural groundwater.
