Overcoming Irrigation Damage in Commercial Landscaping

It’s warming up outside and soon the blistering summer months are going to be upon us. You know who else is starting to feel the heat? The lawns, plants and trees that make up your beautiful commercial landscaping.

When the temperature rises, we sweat, our dogs pant and our plants transpire to cool down. Landscape maintenance professionals may not typically describe plants as sweating but that's essentially what is happening. Just like us, they draw in extra water so that the water vapors can escape through the plants’ pores, cooling it off. Just as it is essential for you and your pets to increase your water intake to stay healthy during increased temperatures, the same is true for your landscape—so buy your landscape a drink!

Can Irrigation Damage Landscaping?

Can you drink too much? Yes. And so can your landscape. 

If you feed your landscaping too much water too quickly, you will likely experience runoff. Irrigation runoff robs your lawn of adequate absorption and your wallet of unnecessary expenses. 

Oversaturating your landscaping can drown it, depleting it of vital oxygen, causing it to die. So, keep an eye on the edge of lawns and planting beds to make sure you aren’t literally letting precious water run down the drain.

What is the Best Time for Commercial Landscape Maintenance?

Landscape irrigation systems should be set to water early in the morning, around sunrise. This allows the water time to soak down into the roots and the grass blades and plant leaves a chance to dry off quickly, preventing disease. Watering in the early hours also decreases stress on the grass by keeping it cooler in the hottest part of the day and reduces the amount of water lost to evaporation reducing irrigation costs

What’s the Right Irrigation Formula for Your Landscaping?

Your region, rainfall and summer weather conditions all play a part in determining how often you will need to water. Your plantings will require the most water in conditions of heat, drought, low humidity, and high winds.

Your soil will also play a part. Clay soil holds water longer and can be watered less frequently than sandy soil, which drains very quickly and needs to be watered more often.

Regardless of the conditions, you will want to ensure your soil is wet 6 to 8 inches deep. For most lawns that’s 1.5 inches of water per week. And to avoid that runoff we spoke about above, it's best to divide that watering over two to three days per week.

BrightView Commercial Landscaping Is Here to Help

BrightView commercial landscaping can become a valuable resource for establishing the right watering cycle for your investments. We will monitor the moisture levels and adjust the frequency and amounts accordingly.