With back-to-school shopping in full swing and summer winding down, many homeowners overlook important steps in taking care of their yard. Your grass is getting ready for winter by pulling in moisture and nutrients and is moving energy stores into the roots to survive winter dormancy. With lower temperatures, less daylight, and generally more precipitation, opportunities to conserve water are greatest during these months.
The cooler temperatures and higher probability of rain allow moisture to evaporate from the soil more slowly. Calculating those changes in weather and automatically adjusting watering schedules is critical to the health of your plants, and saves you water & money. The Skydrop smart sprinkler controller takes real-time weather data and manages your watering to use the minimal amount necessary in fall and throughout the year.
If you are using a standard sprinkler timer on a set schedule, you’re going to be doing a lot of overwatering, which is not only wasteful but bad for the health of your lawn. You want to keep roots reaching for water deep in the soil so they can withstand drought and come back strong in the spring. This is where the Skydrop Smart Sprinkler Controller’s method of Deep & Infrequent watering really makes the difference. Our patented watering algorithm dynamically adjusts the frequency and duration of watering, helping you achieve maximum water savings. Up to 50% less water than a traditional timer.
Smart watering is only part of the plan. Everything you do in the fall is about making your grass come back strong in the spring, full and green. Don’t forget these other elements.
Mowing: Grass does continue to grow in the fall but at a slower rate. As you get closer to the end of the year, shorten the mowing height for the last two or three cuts, leaving your grass about 2” to 2-1/2” by the end of the season. As always, don’t cut more than 1/3 of the overall blade length in any one mowing. Short grass in the summer can lead to scorching while short grass over the winter makes dormancy less stressful.
Fertilize: Fall can be the best time to fertilize. Even though the blades grow slower, roots and stems continue to grow quickly as they store nutrients for the winter. Applying the right fertilizer in the fall helps grass get through the long winter and come back strong in the spring.
Weed Treatment: In late summer/early fall, broadleaf weeds like dandelions are also prepping for winter by taking in as many nutrients as they can. Spreading an herbicide in early fall and a pre-emergent in late fall can kill unwanted weeds and keep them from germinating next spring.
Rake the Leaves: Don’t wait until they all fall. Leaves will get wet, forming a suffocating blanket over your grass, and can lead to mold growth.
Maximum savings start with smart watering along with a few simple preparations and can make all the difference next spring. Be the first on your block to change to smart watering. Have a healthy spring lawn, and don’t be ashamed to be green! Use Skydrop, save water, save time, and save money.
Thanks to our partners at Sprinkler Warehouse for the pics. We also highly recommend you read their Gator Blog for in-depth information about watering and lawn care. Lots of great detail in there!
