Keep Your Lawn Looking Green All Year Round With This Quick Fix

Lawn care can be quite a time-consuming part of owning a home because, not only are there lots of lawn care myths that can lead you astray, but there are also many reasons a lawn may suddenly turn brown — from fungal infections to not following the one-third mowing rule. However, when it comes to an entire lawn turning yellow, the most common cause usually has to do with water. While we all know that underwatering is a problem, many people don't know that overwatering can be just as bad and is actually quite easy to do. Despite common belief, most grass needs to be watered only two or three times a week. So, you should really think twice before you water your lawn every day. This is important because watering your lawn deeply for a few times a week encourages root growth and drought resistance.

However, watering grass gets more complicated when you also consider that you will need to modify your watering amount and schedule depending on the season and how much rain you get every week. For a lot of people who are busy with work and families, this can be a big task. So, if you are looking for a quick fix that can keep your lawn green all year round, you might want to consider installing a smart irrigation system. As opposed to a traditional sprinkler with a timer that waters your lawn on a set schedule, smart irrigation systems are able to use various sensors to know exactly how much water to provide your grass and when. These systems are completely hands-off once set up and can be the perfect solution for busy families. So, should you get one?

One of the biggest reasons to get a smart irrigation system (besides saving yourself time) is saving water. In fact, smart sprinklers are said to use around 30% to 50% less water than traditional sprinklers. They are able to do this by connecting to the internet to get climate data about weather, rainfall, and temperature, then water your lawn accordingly. You can even purchase smart irrigation systems that have built-in sensors that collect data from your soil so they know when certain areas are too dry and need more water. Many of these new smart sprinkler systems also have apps that allow you to access all the data on your phone and change certain settings.

The good news about making your watering system "smart" is that if you already have a sprinkler system in your yard, then all you need to do is purchase a smart sprinkler controller, like the Rachio 3: 16 Zone Controller. These smart controllers need to be installed by a professional because adding one to your yard involves wiring the smart controller to your sprinkler system. But, once this is done, the controller will then work with your current irrigation system to water your yard more effectively.

However, if you don't already have an irrigation system set up and simply water your lawn with your hose, this solution may not be such a quick fix for you because you will need to install an irrigation system first to get all the benefits of the product. Unfortunately, installing one of these systems is labor-intensive and can be quite expensive.