4 Reasons You Should Not Overwater Your Buffalo Lawn

Lawns are beautiful outdoor spaces that add life to your home. They all start with choosing the right kind of grass. Good lawns should be low maintenance, fine textured and able to stay green with minimal watering. To add on that, you shouldn't need lots of fertilizer when growing them. Buffalo turf, a prairie grass, meets all these requirements and stands out among the few kinds of grass you can use for your home's lawn.  Notably, there is a danger of overwatering such a lawn in an effort to keep it green at all times. Here are a few reasons you shouldn't overwater your buffalo lawn: 

Shallow Roots 

Naturally, buffalo grass adapts to its environment so that it can remain green during prolonged dry periods. Part of this adaptation involves the development of long roots into the soil so that the grass can absorb lots of water from the soil. When you water the lawn excessively, the grass adapts to having lots of water on the top layers of the soil. The roots will spread out on the upper soil layers instead of penetrating downwards. Shallow roots mean that your lawn is at a risk of drying out when the summer heat kicks in. The topsoil loses water rapidly by evaporation, and your grass will often lack water because the roots are not deep enough to draw in water from the deeper soil layers. 

Higher Risk of Diseases 

Even though buffalo grass is tough and hardy, it can be attacked by diseases if you do not take good care of it. Part of the bad care package is overwatering. Overwatering increases the risk of diseases for the grass. Prolonged dampness provides a conducive environment for mould and other harmful microorganisms. Overwatering, combined with warm weather, allows diseases to thrive on the stems and grass blades. 

You Will Waste Lots of Water 

Initially, the discussion focused on the growth of shallow roots within the topsoil layers. This means that the grass will be drawing too much water from the top layers, drying it up within short periods. When combined with evaporation, the results will be devastating for your soil. You will have to water it more often, unlike a case where the grass has deep roots taking in water from lower soil layers.

Excessive Growth 

Excess water hastens the growth of your lawn. The grass has to use the excess water taken, and one way to do is by elongating the size of the stems and the shoots. You will spend a fortune mowing the grass regularly.

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