Less is More
Did you know that a lush, green Florida lawn doesn’t require daily watering?
Florida lawn experts agree that maintaining a healthy lawn requires only about 1 to 1½ inches of watering per week in summer and even less in winter, just about ½ to ¾ of an inch. Good news for your lawn and your pocket book. Even better news if you watch the weather and supplement rainfall with irrigation rather than simply watering your lawn on a routine schedule, rain or shine.
Know Your Days
Watering less isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the law. Duval County enacted an Irrigation Ordinance on July 23, 2008 in accordance with St. Johns Water Management District mandatory requirements. To ensure you do not violate the irrigation ordinance it is important to be aware of irrigation best practices.
The Rules
Regardless of days below, NO WATERING is allowed 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
During Daylight Savings Time
Homes with odd-numbered addresses may water Wednesday and Saturday
Homes with even-numbered addresses may water Thursday and Sunday
Non-residential properties may water Tuesday and Friday
During Eastern Standard Time
Homes with odd-numbered addresses may water on Saturday only
Homes with even-numbered addresses may water on Sunday only
Non-residential properties may water on Tuesday only
When you follow the rules, you can have a healthy lawn, save water and save money on your utility bill.
Other Considerations
Most of the year, your lawn and plants will survive fine on rainfall; however, dry periods are common in the late spring and fall and will require some irrigation. Due to relatively shallow roots, turf grasses typically require irrigation at least once a week to maintain quality. On sandy soils, some grasses may need to be irrigated at least two days a week to ensure acceptable quality. However, overwatering will weaken your lawn by causing shallower root systems. Supplement rainfall only when rainfall is deficient, usually in spring and fall, and then apply no more than ½ to ¾ inch of water per week.
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