More often than not, most home gardeners tend to overwater their plants and lawns, which can cause a variety of different problems. Most lawns and plants are capable of conserving water when necessary, especially during arid seasons and times of drought. Overcompensating by watering every other day disrupts your lawn and plants’ natural water cycles, jeopardizing their health and the soil in which they reside.
Why Overwatering Does More Harm Than Good
It drowns your plants’ roots
Grass plant roots extend into the porous soil, which is commonly composed of sand, clay and silt. Water fills the porous spaces, pushing out oxygen that is vital to the plant’s growth. Overwatering essentially drowns your plants, keeping them from obtaining the oxygen they need to grow. Plants can die if they don’t receive enough oxygen, rendering your watering efforts moot.
It places stress on shallow rooted plants
Plants are put under stress when turf plant roots die, which increases their susceptibility to insects and disease. Plant disease and insect problems can spread throughout the rest of your lawn, jeopardizing its health and the health of other plants.
It contributes to pollution and costs time and money
Pumping excessive amounts of water onto your plants isn’t just harmful to their health, but your wallet as well. Lawns and plants are biologically capable of preserving water and going dormant in times of drought. Attempting to fertilize an overwatered lawn results in the fertilizer washing past the roots before it can be absorbed, causing nitrate pollution in groundwater and essentially poisoning the soil.
It creates more weeds
Overwatered lawns will hinder the growth of your plants, and instead cause pesky plants like weeds to grow instead. Overwatered weeds are particularly resilient and unwieldy, making them difficult to control and can overtake your lawn’s healthy plants and grass.
Have Your Lawn Professionally Watered with River City Landscaping
Every lawn is different, and identifying signs of when they need hydration can be difficult. River City Landscaping’s expert landscapers have the tools and experience necessary to provide invaluable advice regarding watering schedules and irrigation options. We’re a full-service landscaping company offering a variety of solutions for residential and commercial projects, including irrigation and drainage system installations. Contact River City Landscaping to schedule an appointment.