Heard about the screwdriver test?

 

If you don't have a rain gauge or an empty tuna can out in the lawn to monitor rainfall and sprinkler water, you can still get a good read on your lawn's moisture with the screwdriver test.  It's a simple and reasonably accurate way to assess soil conditions and tell you whether or not you need to water right away or change the amount of watering for the week.

 

How it works
Take a sturdy screwdriver and insert it into the lawn at various points around your yard.  If the screwdriver barely goes into the soil, the soil is dry and in need of moisture.  If the screwdriver goes easily into the soil, this indicates a good moisture level and that you don't need to water immediately. 

You may find that one area like a south facing slope is really dry and hard and that a shaded area is just fine, so water accordingly.

Grass alert:  be cautious of the stormy forecast
Many days like we've had recently in the mid to upper 90-degree range can easily stress lawns which may need additional water to rejuvenate them.  You can spot the beginning of heat stress by a gray or purplish tint to the grass. 

But don't assume that an afternoon downpour will solve the problem.  We have five days ahead with isolated storms in the forecast.  If you do the screwdriver test and find the soil is quite hard, most of the rain will likely sheet off the lawn and run down the drain.  Slower watering applied at regular intervals rather than all at once is the only way to build up the moisture in the soil. 

 

If the soil is really dry, avoid increasing the length of time you water--but add another cycle of watering.  Why?  Because if you water too long with the sprinkler system, the soil can't absorb the water and it will run off just like it does in a rain downpour.

Rejuvenate a heat stressed lawn

If all or part of the lawn has turned the color of straw, it's in serious heat stress but not dead.  Underneath, the roots are still alive but you need to help the lawn get healthy again through regular watering without over-watering.  Get out the screwdriver and keep checking moisture levels as you water regularly. 

 

Also, plan to aerate the lawn in the fall with a core aerator.  Follow up by topdressing the lawn with compost to build up the organic matter in the soil and stay on a regular fertilization program.  These steps will promote hardy roots that are the lawn's best defense against summer heat stress. 

Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Harbor Landscape Company is a member. ALCC is the only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC.

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