Sustainable Landscaping: Turf

by Karl Guillard

karl.guillard@uconn.edu

Water Your Lawn Wisely

Choose grass species that require less water during the growing season. Grasses that provide good persistence and quality with less water than Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass include:

• turf-type tall fescues
• dwarf tall fescues
• fine-leaf fescues (creeping red, chewings, sheep, and hard)

Watering, done to supply the necessary moisture for turf grass growth, should be done infrequently. Typically a Connecticut lawn requires 1 inch of water per week during the growing season. If you must irrigate, apply water deeply to allow for deep root growth so the roots can find available moisture when the surface may be dry. When using sprinklers:

• avoid irrigating during hot, windy parts of the day
• apply according to weekly rainfall amounts and
• avoid irrigating paved surfaces, roads and driveways.