Irrigation Practices

Water is required of all living turfgrass plants for growth and survival. In Australia water is a precious commodity that is often restricted in its use on golf courses and athletic fields. Turfgrass irrigation practices need to be maximised and efficient to maintain healthy turf under water restrictions.

Irrigation water should be applied deep and infrequent. Light, frequent irrigations produce shallow, weak root systems. A shallow root system will impact both water and nutrient uptake. As a general rule apply enough water to soak the soil to a depth of 15 centimetres. This is approximately 2.5 cm of rainfall or approximately 228 litres/100 metres squared (600 gallons per 1000 sq.ft.). The amount of water required will depend on the soil type. For example, to water to a 15 cm depth, it will require approximately 1 cm of water on a sand, while approximately 3 cm will be needed on a clay (Figure 1).

Irrigation timing is a difficult decision under water restrictions. The proper time would be to apply water prior or at the moment wilt occurs. Wilt symptoms occur when the turf turns a dull bluish-green color. This will commonly occur on creeping bentgrass and couchgrass and may serve as a sign when to irrigate.