Florida’s summer sun can push turf to its limits, but smart irrigation keeps grass green without soaking your water bill. Here’s how Keiths Lawn Care professional landscapers recommends watering Ocala lawns when temperatures climb.
Know Your Turf’s Thirst
St. Augustine and Zoysia need about one inch of water per week—including rainfall—while Bahia can get by with a bit less. Sandy soils drain fast, so deep, infrequent irrigation (two days a week under Marion County guidelines) encourages roots to chase moisture downward.
Watering Best Practices
- Early-morning cycles (4–8 a.m.) cut evaporation losses by up to 30 %.
- Set runtimes for uniform coverage. Most sprays need 20–30 minutes; rotors 45–60 minutes. Test output with tuna cans and adjust until each collects roughly a half-inch per cycle.
- Skip a cycle after ½-inch of rain. Smart controllers or rain sensors can do this automatically.
- Check for stress before watering: footprints that linger, folded blades, or a blue-gray tint signal it’s time.
- Raise mowing height by ½ inch in summer; taller grass shades the soil and reduces evaporation.
System Tune-Ups
- Replace clogged nozzles and broken heads each spring.
- Align sprays to avoid watering driveways and sidewalks—runoff wastes water and can carry fertilizers into storm drains.
- Audit zones monthly; even a pinhole leak can waste thousands of gallons over a season.
Extra Heat-Beating Strategies
Apply organic mulch around beds to conserve moisture, and consider drought-tolerant ground covers in high-sun areas.
Our landscaping specialists design, maintain, and monitor systems so you meet county regulations and still enjoy a green, resilient lawn—no hose dragging necessary.