Two main factors are key to saving water on your lawn:
- Your soil type
- Your lawn type.
The foundation of a healthy lawn is the soil. The soil must have the right drainage and water retention to grow a healthy lawn. A sandy loam is the best soil for growing a lawn. You can also hold moisture in your soil by adding a little organic matter.
We will be looking at some examples to show you the benefits of different types of lawn soil and how they can help save water.
- Clay soils – clay soils are heavy soils that tend to retain water well when they are wet. The soils can also lose water if they are too dry or too wet. This is because the clay pores in the soil limit the amount water that can be absorbed. Sand loam, however, acts as a sponge and has large pores between soil particles that allow water to be taken up and stored.
- Compacted soils, no matter what material they are made from, have a tendency repel water. Water is not stored in soil particles because their pores are smaller.
- Sandy soils – Because of the poor drainage, water flows right through sandy soils. This causes water to run off and doesn’t hold water in place for long-term lawn growth. Sandy lawns need constant watering in order to ensure good growth.
To create soil that is water-efficient, you need to modify your soil structure. This will allow for maximum water retention and drainage.
Another factor that can help you grow a water-saving lawn is your lawn type.
The following lawns require different amounts of water.
Fescue and Rye are the most water-intensive seed grasses. This also depends on the climate.
Kikuyu comes next, but it can be regenerated if it is not watered.
Soft buffalo varieties require less water than Kikuyu.
The hybrid Couch varieties such as Winter Green are the most water-saving. The finer the leaf, the more water-saving the lawn will be (this does not include seed varieties).
All the harder lawn varieties have deep root systems and are run lawns. You will save water by choosing the right variety for your climate.