You don’t need to check the forecast every day to know that for the next few months…it’s hot. These high temperatures can be the death of your Arizona sod – literally. The high temperatures and extreme heat can dry out your sod and kill your grass if it isn’t watered properly. On the other end of that spectrum, overwatering kills even more lawns than any other cause! Don’t lose hope – you can keep your Arizona sod alive and thriving if you follow our summer watering tips.

-Water areas that are shaded about 30% less than areas in direct sunlight. This will keep you from overwatering – which can lead to fungus!

-Don’t water your sod lawn in the middle of the day! Waiting until nighttime or early morning, when the water won’t evaporate in the sunlight and the wind won’t affect the water’s ability to soak into the sod. This helps the water to get down further, nurturing the roots. Between the times of 4 am and 8 am are perfect to water!

-Think of rain as nature’s watering system and give the grass a day off! We know, it doesn’t rain much in the summer. But on the occasion that it does, you don’t need to water your sod lawn further.

-Water slowly and evenly. This makes sure all the grass is getting the water it needs and no more or less. One method of ensuring this is to divide the lawn into sections and do one at a time.

-Decrease watering frequency. Even on the hottest days of summer, most lawns don’t need to be watered daily.

Here are some signs to look for to tell if you are underwatering.
1. The grass doesn’t spring back up after you step on it.

2. The lawn still feels warm even after the sun has gone down

3. You aren’t able to easily push a screwdriver down into the soil

On the reverse side of that, some signs of overwatering:

1. Presence of mushrooms or algae

2. The grass emits a musty odor

3. Puddles of water are present in any areas

4. Soft soil when you walk on it

We are experts in Arizona sod lawns and can answer any questions you may have about maintaining yours!