Overview

Dry conditions can be challenging for sod growers. Many draw their water from surface water sources that are drying up.

It is essential for growers who are still able to irrigate to follow good water conservation practices during times of water shortages.

Tips

Follow these water conservation practices:

  • Focus on irrigating the fields you hope to harvest in the next few weeks.
  • Irrigate in the early morning preferably. There is less chance of wind and lower evaporation rates. Early evening irrigation is not recommended because of the increased potential for diseases.
  • Use rain gauges to apply the right amount of water.
  • Keep an eye on the irrigation system to ensure that the application rate does not exceed the infiltration rate. The irrigation may have to be cycled (on-off-on-off) to ensure there is no runoff.
  • Kentucky bluegrass requires 2.5 cm of water weekly to prevent dormancy.
  • If there is no rainfall and if it is feasible, sod that will not be harvested this season or is slated to be harvested later in the season would benefit from 1 cm of water every 3–4 weeks to ensure that there is no turf loss caused by a prolonged period of dormancy.
  • Inspect dormant sod fields for insect activity. Feeding damage from turf insects such as hairy chinch bug and bluegrass billbug can be masked when turf is dormant, and insect damaged turf will not recover when the rains return.

Learn how to use your irrigation equipment efficiently and what you can do if water supplies run short.