Water Management and Keeping Your Lawn Green

If you want your lawn to remain green throughout the year, there are some specific things you need to do by way of lawn care and maintenance services. Water management is at the top of the list. Residents and business owners of Miami face some unique weather influences as they care for their lawns, so it’s important you understand how that plays a role in your water management plan. The following are some things you can do to keep it green this year.

Understand the State’s Water Resource Management

The five water management districts in Florida have four core mission areas. They are:

• Water Supply – Districts are responsible for assessing supply and setting forth projects that will sustain and increase it within the district.
• Water Quality – Districts monitor and assess the quality of water, as well as fund projects that will benefit it.
• Flood Protection – Including floodplain management, districts construct and maintain structures that prevent flooding within the district.
• Natural Systems – Through the Minimum Flows and Levels program, districts protect their natural systems to reserve water.

Understanding these processes can help you understand your own role in responsible water management for your property.

Take Advantage of Mother Nature

While Miami is known for being a sunny vacation spot with beautiful tropical landscaping, it does rain every once in a while. In total, about 1/3 of the days each year receive precipitation. This gives property owners a great opportunity to take advantage of Mother Nature, using the rain as their water system for that day. Some landscapes include features in which property owners collect rainwater to implement back into their lawn. This is a cost-effective, water-responsible way to keep your lawn green.

Water Earlier in the Day

You want to give your lawn time to soak up the water you give it, but you don’t want the water to sit on the surface long enough to start growing fungal diseases. Watering earlier in the day, such as at five o’clock AM, allows your lawn a couple of hours to soak up the water before the Miami heat sets in, but gives it that time during the day to dry back out again. Most irrigation systems can be programmed this way, so it automatically turns on without you having to be there so early in the morning.

Do Deep, Regular Rounds

When it comes to your rounds of watering, deep, regular rounds are better than shallow, frequent rounds. If you set your irrigation system to water one-and-a-half inches of water, twice per week, it will give it that deep soak it needs to be hydrated in between watering.

Use the Right Fertilizer

Adding the right fertilizer to your landscape irrigation plan is one of the best ways to take advantage of a well thought out water management system. Landscapers suggest fertilizing every six weeks, though you can stretch it out a bit further if the growth is too fast for your taste. A fertilizer with lower nitrogen content could also help to keep the lawn green without it growing so quickly.
Naturally occurring fertilizer is another option and can be applied by mulching your lawn clippings and letting them fall back into your soil. Keep in mind if you apply too much fertilizer, the grass can turn brown, so it’s best to contact a landscaper for help in regulating both your water and your fertilizer.

Contacting the Professionals

When you need a professional to help you design your landscape to incorporate the best in water management, you need Plant Professionals. We landscape and maintain both residential and commercial properties, offering water management, fertilizing and other services required to keep your Miami lawn lush and green. Contact us today at 305-259-0503 to learn more about our lawn care and maintenance services or to schedule an estimate.