Sign of Overwatering the Grass that you Need to Know

“Small” issues that are overlooked cause big problems. Hence, it is better to act upon overwatered grass immediately. Are you sure you are giving your lawn an adequate amount of water? If you’re not sure, it’s time to look for these signs of overwatering the grass.

What are the Signs?

1. Turf color

Observe your turf and check out for brown patches. If drought has damaged your lawn before, overwatering is not a preventive measure. Also, brown grass can be caused not only by drought but also by overwatering and other conditions. 

An overwatered grass has a brown haze and patches of healthy green grass. Therefore, consider this if your watering amount is not equal for all the grass, or if you have inappropriate sprinkler positioning.

2. Abnormal spots or colors in grass blades

Get down on your lawn to see the grass blades closely. Do some of your grass blades have abnormal spots or are yellowish? If yes, it is a sign of overwatering the grass. Fungi cause rust diseases in plants. As a result, yellow or white spots, plant pustule, and defoliation happen due to rust fungi. 

After considering the color of your grass, look out for unexpected guests. 

3. Weed increase

Moreover, weeds like crabgrass or nutsedge grow faster than your turfgrass. If you are overwatering, you are not creating a healthy place for your grass, but you allow such aggressive weeds to grow.

4. Thatch build-ups

Check for organic debris on your lawn like thatch forms from decomposed organic material. Though thatches add nutrients to the soil, you would not want a mat of thatch but a lawn. Also, too many of these thatches can be a home for insects or rodents.

5. Mushroom

Sprouting mushrooms is a sign of overwatering the grass. These are not the mushrooms that we eat, as mushrooms can be poisonous and dangerous. Therefore, get rid of mushrooms to prevent your children or pets from being intoxicated.

LANSONTECH 5 Piece Gardening Tools Set Including Transplanting Spade, Trowel, Cultivator, Pruner and Gardening Gloves, Garden Tools Kit with Heavy Duty Cast-Aluminium Heads & Ergonomic

6. Saturated soil

Water, especially in an overwatered lawn, is not immediately absorbed by the grass. The soil holds and stores excess water, so after observing the grass and its surface, get a sample of your soil. A sign of overwatering grass will come from your soil.

You can identify a saturated soil by 

• By stepping on it: Try walking on your grass to feel whether it is squishy, even if you haven’t watered it in a while.
• By looking for a water run-off: If you see water streams or leakage, see if it comes from your lawn. Your soil might be overly saturated and has little place to store water.
• The use of a soil probe or screwdriver: Sometimes, the two mentioned above are not apparent in your lawn. Dig up some soil with something long enough to go deeper into your soil, such as a soil probe. Check the grass’s moisture. Soil can be dry, damp, or soggy. Soggy soil is a symptom of overwatered grass.

Greenworks 40V 16-inch Cordless Lawn Mower, 4.0 Ah Battery and Charger Included 25242

7. Stunted growth

A sign of overwatering grass is stunted growth. Why do over watered plants have stunted growth?

You might have asked or thought before why do you have to transfer your sprouts into a bigger pot. It is because plants’ roots spread out or get deeper to find water or other soil nutrients. Does your grass seem not growing at all? 

Furthermore, if the water is always there, it will not seek to grow to find more. Plants adjust their roots according to their needs. Adding to that, if roots are shallow, it is more susceptible to diseases and vulnerable at stressful conditions. 

8. Crown and root rot

Fungi and other diseases do not only show up in your grass blades. They also go into the grass’s crown and roots that can infect the grass and contaminate other healthy grass. The pathogen’s spores can go through the wind or water. Check out for a dark-colored root and crown as this indicates dead tissues.

Why does grass die from overwatering?

Imagine a person drowning. How can it be compared to a grass drowning? If we drown, we are eager for air to breathe. It is also similar to grass and other plants. We only think that plants give us oxygen. Nevertheless, grassroots also need oxygen. In overwatering, it can fill the air pockets in your lawn, which in turn will suffocate the grass.

Suppose you have these signs of overwatering grass, back out immediately from watering. Depending on the level of saturation, allow no watering days. After a few days, test for your soil’s moisture again. See to it that your sprinkler is in the best place to water your lawn. Improve your soil drainage and aeration. Always remember that moderation is a must, even for gardening.