When you overwater, the grass really may be greener on the other side of the fence
Irrigation is the practice of watering grass, flowers, and other plants.
Not enough water can cause plants to wilt and die.
Overwatering is harmful, too, because it disrupts the soil’s nutrient balance.
Over-irrigation can lead to soil compaction, which limits oxygen reaching the roots.
Prevent overwatering with drip irrigation, timed sprinklers, and a drainage system.
In your valiant efforts to prevent your lawn from turning dry and brown, you could be actually doing more harm than good. That’s right—overwatering the lawn can actually be just as damaging to a healthy yard as underwatering. So how is over-irrigation damaging to soil and your yard? There are many ways this practice can keep your soil, and your grass, from thriving.
You may think of irrigation and picture a farmer tending to their crops, but irrigation doesn’t have to be an industry-specific term. Irrigation refers to the practice of watering your plants, whether you’re growing a field of corn or just a few perennial flowers in a garden bed. Plants need water to live, just like we do. While rain can help quench their thirst, plants often need a boost from an irrigation setup.
It’s tempting to turn the sprinklers on as much as possible in hopes of achieving a lush, green lawn or a high yield in your veggie garden, but overwatering is actually bad for your soil. Excess water can disrupt the nutrient balance, increase salinity (a.k.a. the saltiness) of your soil, and allow diseases to take hold in the roots, weakening or even killing your plants.
Here’s a more in-depth look at the damage that over-irrigation can cause.
Plants have active root zones that can hold a certain amount of water, called the field capacity. When you overwater, there is too much moisture beyond the field capacity. Eventually, the plants begin to lose water and nutrients, like nitrogen, that are important for the plants to grow.
With overwatering, the groundwater tables will rise, allowing more salt to reach the plants’ active root zones. Eventually, the plants will take up the water, it will runoff, or it will evaporate, but the salt will be left behind in the soil. Soil with higher salinity makes it harder for plants to absorb water.
You’ve spent time and money aerating the lawn to break up any compacted soil and allow oxygen to reach the soil. While aeration can also help reduce runoff and allow soil to take in more water, too much water can quickly reverse the hard work you’ve done in aerating the lawn. The excess water can compact the soil, ultimately limiting how much oxygen can get into the ground. Oxygen is important for soil microbes and for plant root health.
When the soil becomes compacted, less oxygen can reach the plant roots. Pair that with excess moisture, and the soil becomes an ideal habitat for pathogens to grow. The lack of oxygen and waterlogged soil can lead to root rot diseases, which can weaken even bigger plants, like trees. Root rot can also kill your plants.
Over-irrigation can severely impact the health of your soil and, in turn, your plants. But overwatering can also help weeds outcompete your crops and grass; plus, it’s a big waste of water and money for homeowners.
When you overwater your yard and garden, you’re wasting water and money. Excess water can only soak into the ground so much. From there, it will runoff either into your own yard drainage system or into a neighborhood storm drain, while you’re left with a high water bill. Water runoff can also make its way into neighboring properties, leaving you with some upset neighbors.
You know what plants tend to love harsh soil conditions? Weeds. Weeds can reveal soil health based on the types of weeds that are growing. Some weeds, like crabgrass and dandelions, prefer nutrient-deprived soil, while weeds like dock enjoy soggy soil. Because poor soil health can also weaken your plants, it gives weeds more of a fighting chance to survive.
Plants need healthy soil to grow properly. So when the soil is overwatered and has issues with nutrient loss, over salinity, or compaction, it can actually impact how your plants grow. It may limit how the roots grow or even impact yields for crops.
Now that you understand how over-irrigation is damaging to soil, you’re probably wondering how to prevent overwatering your plants. There are several ways to be wiser with your watering. Not only will these practices help you save your plants, but they’ll also save you money.
While you can still overwater with a sprinkler system, you can also create a sprinkler system that will help you water more efficiently. Installing a sprinkler system costs $1,670 to $3,550 on average.
Whether you install a sprinkler system yourself or hire a sprinkler installation pro near you, you can create sprinkler zones, where some areas of the lawn get more water and others get less, depending on what’s planted in each section.
Establishing a more complex setup with multiple zones is best left to the pros, but you can also consider a DIY sprinkler system with a timer if you’re working with a smaller space. Adjust the timer based on the weather forecast and by season to help minimize the chance of overwatering.
Drip irrigation is a popular watering method for those who want to waste less water. This system allows water to trickle right around the roots of each plant. Drip irrigation systems cost about $0.50 to $3 per square foot. For small gardens, you can DIY a drip irrigation system. You can also always consult with an irrigation and landscaping pro near you to help install a system that will work best for your plants.
If you already have an irrigation system in place, simply shift it to water less. For instance, if your sprinkler system is set to water the lawn for one hour, three days a week, try shifting to 30 minutes for three days a week. No matter how you’re approaching your watering system, cut back a little bit at a time if you notice signs of overwatering, like water pooling in your yard or soft, spongy sod.
You can use a soil moisture meter tool to track the moisture level of your soil and adjust your watering schedule based on the readings. These tools cost anywhere from $10 for a simple model to over $200 for models with extra features, like smartphone connectivity.
Explore yard drainage ideas, like installing channel drains or establishing a rain garden, to help divert excess water runoff away from your yard, home foundation, or plants into an area better suited to handle the extra moisture. For instance, a dry creek bed filled with rocks can help slowly drain water runoff while also allowing it to flow away from plants vulnerable to waterlogging.
Perhaps the soil type in your yard isn’t suited to the amount of water you're giving it, or you need help finding plants that will thrive in your rain-prone yard. No matter the problem, consult with a local landscaping company to help determine how to get the most out of your yard—and how to prevent over-irrigation.
