By Alison McFerrin

The Selma Times-Journal

A well-kept yard isn’t just about vanity. Watering regularly is necessary to keep your grass healthy and your yard intact, according to local experts. And in this season of drought, your yard may need a little help to stay green and beautiful.

“Drought can kill your grass,” Central Alabama Farmers Co-Op retail store manager Kevin Clark said. “There would end up being a lot of dirt in your yard.”

To combat the dry conditions, Clark said most people purchase oscillating sprinklers for their yards or rotating shower-type sprinklers for their gardens.

The type of sprinkler you purchase mainly depends on the type of space you are trying to keep watered, Marvin’s Building Materials and Home Center merchant Tom Lamkin said.

“If you have a narrow yard — longer, narrower — an oscillating system can do a narrower pattern,” Lamkin said, adding that an impact sprinkler, which has more power, may be better for a larger yard.

Lamkin and Clark said two or three times a week is usually enough to keep grounds hydrated.

“You don’t need to over-water,” Lamkin said. While under-watering will cause the plant to die, over-watering will cause the roots to rot. When it comes to how often to water, moderation is best.

Lamkin also recommended using a soaker hose for annuals and flowerbeds.

“It drips the water out over a period of time versus sitting for five minutes and watering,” Lamkin said.

Lamkin recommended running a sprinkler system earlier rather than later in the day, to take advantage of the lower wind and lower temperature, which would minimize evaporation.

An additional recommendation Lamkin had on keeping your ground wet is not to mow the grass too short.

“It keeps the grass stronger and prevents scorching,” Lamkin said. “It also keeps the weeds out.”