Watering Tips for Hot St. Louis Summers
Why Summer Hydration is Essential
Spend June, July or August in the St. Louis metro, and you quickly become familiar with the extreme heat potential of Midwestern summers.
The dog days of summer in Webster Groves, Chesterfield and Oakville are notorious for scorching temperatures and high humidity, placing extreme stress on local landscapes.
Properly hydrating your yard is critical to surviving a St. Louis summer, as regional clay soils and intense heat can quickly stress turf and plants.
Consistent, proper watering does far more than just keep your grass green; it is the lifeblood of your garden’s overall resilience. When you water more infrequently but deeply, plant roots are encouraged to reach further down into the soil. When roots systems grow in this way, the plant or shrub’s ability to survive dry spells and recover from seasonal heat waves greatly improves.
Strong roots enhance nutrient absorption. Water also acts as the vehicle that transports essential nutrients from your soil straight to the root zones of your turf and plants.
Without adequate hydration, cool-season grasses often enter dormancy, turning brown and brittle. While dormant grass can survive, deep watering prevents complete turfgrass loss and safeguards expensive landscape perennials, shrubs, and new plantings from perishing.
To maximize your yard’s resilience without wasting water or encouraging fungal growth, adopt these proven techniques:
- Water Early in the Day: The recommended time to water is early morning, ideally between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. This timeframe minimizes water lost to midday evaporation from higher temperatures.
- Deep Soak, Not Sprinkle: Avoid short, daily watering spurts. Instead aim for longer, more infrequent soakings that allow moisture to penetrate 6+ inches into the soil. Depending on turf conditions and sprinkler set-up, this can take between 30 minutes up to 2 hours of watering.
- Monitor the Soil: Consider using a rain gauge or simple soil moisture-checking tools to track precipitation.
- Adjust Your Mower: To prevent the soil from drying out too quickly, raise your mower’s blade to leave grass taller (3 in or higher). Taller grass naturally shades the soil and helps retain vital moisture.
- Check Mulch: Ensure mulch around trees, shrubs & in bed areas is at a depth of 3” to 4”. This helps the soil retain moisture during dry weather.
Resources for Local Homeowners
For even more localized tips and detailed watering requirements tailored to the St. Louis metro’s unique climate, refer to the MU Extension Home Lawn Watering Guide. This can help ensure your yard gets the necessary 1 to 1.5 in of water per week.
We are your expert landscape design and plant installation specialists, using only the best stock available. No matter your landscaping needs, we are here to help. Please call today with your questions or to schedule an appointment: (636) 225-3548.
We look forward to talking with you!
Tory, Owner – Environmental Landscaping
Spring and summer tips: Apply a pre-emergent such as “Preen”
to your flower beds to control weed and grass growth for up to 90 days.
