The ideal time to water your lawn depends largely on the climate, but there are general guidelines to help ensure your lawn receives the best care possible. Here’s what you should know:

Best Time to Water:

• Early Morning (Before 10 a.m.):
  The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning, ideally before 10 a.m. During this time, temperatures are cooler, and the wind tends to be calmer, which helps prevent evaporation and allows the water to soak deep into the soil. Watering early also gives the grass plenty of time to dry out during the day, which helps reduce the risk of fungal diseases.
• Late Afternoon (4 p.m. to 6 p.m.):
  If you can’t water in the morning, late afternoon is your next best option. Just make sure to water early enough in the evening so the grass has time to dry before nightfall. Watering too late at night can cause the grass to remain wet overnight, creating a favorable environment for mold and diseases.

Why Avoid Midday Watering?

• Evaporation: Watering during the heat of the day (usually between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.) causes more water to evaporate before it even reaches the soil, making it less efficient.
• Heat Stress: Direct sunlight combined with the heat of midday can also cause water droplets to act like magnifying glasses, potentially scorching the grass.

How Often Should You Water?

• Frequency: In most climates, watering deeply 1-2 times a week is sufficient, rather than frequent shallow watering. This encourages the grass to grow deeper roots, helping it survive dry conditions.
• Amount: Aim to provide about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, whether from rainfall or irrigation. This ensures the roots get the moisture they need without drowning the grass.

Early morning watering is the most effective and beneficial for your lawn, allowing for proper absorption while avoiding potential issues like disease and evaporation.

The Dangers of Overwatering

Overwatering simply means providing your lawn with water it does not need. This can be most dangerous in the warmer months of summer if your lawn has gone dormant (i.e., stopped growing), as it can convince your lawn to “wake up” and put it through drought conditions it’s not ready for.

Consequences of Overwatering

Overwater creates poor yard conditions, including:

Runoff: When all of the water can’t be absorbed, it can cause flooding, eroding your lawn and washing away fertilizer, seeds and more.
Fungal diseases: Stagnant water on your lawn can lead to the creation of lawn diseases.
Insect Breeding: Mosquitoes and other undesirable insects thrive in standing water.

Logan Lawn Care & Landscaping can help with lawn drainage if the problem becomes extreme or it seems like there could be another cause.

What Are Practical Tips for Efficient Watering?

With these best practices, you can make your watering efforts more effective.

Watering Techniques

You generally want to opt for deep and infrequent waterings vs. shallow and frequent ones for long-term lawn growth and drought tolerance. Your cadence can be tweaked further based on excessively hot weather that calls for more water or cooler weather that calls for less. Generally, you should water about three times a week for a total of .5 to 1 total inches of water.

A big asset for watering can be an irrigation system, though it should not be run at all times. A smart irrigation system can automatically determine how much water is needed, which makes your job much easier. If your irrigation system encounters any issues, our experts can help.

Monitoring Soil Moisture

The best days to water are when there is observable moisture stress. A good indicator of this is if you step on your lawn and your footprint remains visible. You can also use a smart irrigation system, a moisture meter or even just an inch-deep container on top of a part of your lawn to keep track of how much water it’s getting.

Adjusting for Weather Conditions

You’ll want to lessen your watering if there’s a chance of rain. You can try to account for this yourself, or a smart irrigation system can leverage weather forecasts and do it automatically.

Choose Logan Lawn Care & Landscaping for A Beautiful, Healthy Lawn

For comprehensive Clarksville lawn care, including weed control and fertilizer application, trust Logan Lawn Care. We offer personalized lawn care plans with no long-term contracts, helping you achieve the healthiest lawn. Start by requesting your free lawn analysis today!

Believe it or not, mowing your lawn the right height is key to maintaining its health. Proper mowing is one of the easiest ways to encourage a vibrant, thriving lawn.

If you’re growing tall fescue in Tennessee and wondering the best height to mow it, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down the ideal mowing height for tall fescue grass and why it’s essential to cut it properly.

How Tall Does Tall Fescue Grow?

Tall fescue typically reaches heights of 3.5 to 4 inches. To measure, simply use a ruler to gauge the height of the grass from the soil to the tip of the blade.

This grass variety is known for its resilience and low maintenance needs. It’s drought-tolerant and requires less frequent fertilization, making it the most popular cool-season grass in Tennessee. However, mowing it at the correct height is still crucial for its overall health.

What’s the Best Mowing Height for Tall Fescue?

The recommended mowing height for tall fescue is between 3 and 3.5 inches. This is a safe range to maintain year-round. Since most mowers don’t go beyond 3.5 inches, setting your mower to its highest setting will help keep your grass at an optimal height.

To fine-tune your mowing schedule, refer to these guidelines from North Carolina State University’s TurfFiles:

• March-May: Mow your tall fescue to 2.5 to 3.5 inches. Avoid cutting more than a third of the grass height at once, so you may need to mow weekly.
• June-August: Set your mower to 3.5 inches, and don’t let the grass grow taller than 5 inches.
• September-November: Aim for 2.5 to 3 inches.
• December-February: Maintain a 3-inch height.

As a rule for proper lawn health, you should never cut more than one-third of the grass blade length at a time when mowing your lawn.

Cutting off more than a third of the grass blade can stress the plant, hindering its growth and potentially damaging the lawn; by only removing a third, you allow the grass to recover more effectively and maintain a healthy appearance. This is especially true in the extremely hot summer months in Clarksville, Tennessee.

When to Mow New Fescue Grass

If you’ve recently sodded or seeded your lawn, wait until the tall fescue reaches about 4.5 inches before mowing it. The first cut should be no shorter than 3.5 inches. Avoid cutting too much at once, as this can damage the young grass.

Before mowing new fescue, ensure your mower blades are sharp or new. Dull blades can tear the grass, which can be especially harmful to newly planted turf.

What Is The Best Height To Cut Bermuda Grass?

The best mowing height for Bermuda grass is typically between 0.5 and 1.5 inches, with most experts recommending to keep it around 1 inch for optimal health and density.

• Variety matters:
  Different Bermuda grass cultivars may have slightly different ideal mowing heights, so check specific recommendations for your variety.

  Always use a sharp mower blade to ensure a clean cut.

• Reel mower for lowest cuts:
  If you want to mow Bermuda grass extremely short, a reel mower is often preferred for the best results. Unlike traditional mowers which tear the grass, Reel mowers cut it like scissors. Most Reel mowers include a front roller that stabilizes the mower, keeping it level on uneven terrain and ensuring a consistent cut across the lawn and preventing scalping. 

Choose Logan Lawn Care & Landscaping for A Beautiful, Healthy Lawn

For comprehensive Clarksville lawn care, including weed control and fertilizer application, trust Logan Lawn Care. We offer personalized lawn care plans with no long-term contracts, helping you achieve the healthiest lawn. Start by requesting your free lawn analysis today!