Are You Overwatering Your Yard?

August 17, 2014

Share Via Facebook Via Twitter/X Via Pinterest via linkedin

One of the most frequent mistakes homeowners make with their lawns is overwatering them. Although it may seem counterintuitive, too much water is as big a problem for lawns as too little water is. In fact, you can literally drown your lawn if you water it too frequently. The key to keeping your lawn happy is to give it that happy medium of enough water to grow without overwhelming it. If you want to keep your lawn from drowning, make sure you keep a weather eye out to avoid these five signs that you are overwatering your lawn.

1. An Abundance of Thatch

One of the most prominent signs that you are overwatering your lawn is that it is overwhelmed by thatch. Thatch is a thick layer of partially decomposed plant matter that forms a dense mat on the surface of the soil under the lawn. This thatch breaks down on a healthy lawn and gives your lawn the nutrients it needs, but it does not have a chance to break down on an overwatered lawn.

2. A Festival of Fungus

If you are watering your lawn too much, one thing that will let you know fairly quickly is an abundance of mushrooms or other form of fungus. Fungi like mushrooms thrive in wet environments and overwatering your lawn will often lead to an invasion of mushrooms. Keep an eye out for mushrooms as an early warning sign that you need to cut down your watering regimen.

3. Weeds

Another sign to look out for in the battle against overwatering is an abundance of weeds in your lawn. In particular, crabgrass is a pesky weed that really loves it when homeowners over water their lawns. If you are wondering why your lawn is being overrun by crabgrass, it may very well be because you are giving your lawn too much water.

4. An Infestation of Insects

Insect pests thrive in grass environments in which the grass is stressed. One of the most stressful experiences a lawn can undergo is being overwatered. If you want to keep your lawn healthy and free from pests, then you should make sure that you do not water it too often. You may not always be able to see these pests, but a lawn that is suffering from inexplicable bare patches is often suffering from an insect infestation.

5. Spongy Ground

One of the easiest ways to tell that you are overwatering your lawn is that the ground is spongy. Your lawn should never be spongy. This includes right after you finish watering it. You want the ground under the lawn to still be firm even right after you water it.

Keep a sharp eye out for these five warning signs of overwatering your lawn. This is an important part of keeping a lawn healthy. Keeping a lawn from becoming overwatered is just as important as keeping it from becoming invaded by pests or suffering from drought. A happy lawn will be a healthy lawn.