To promote healthy turf and reduce disease, when should you water?

• A. Water thoroughly when you first see wilting.
• B. Water every hour.
• C. Water only once a year.
• D. Do not water at all.

Answer: (A)

Watering should be deep and in response to the plant’s needs, not on a fixed, light schedule. Wilting signals that the turf is experiencing water stress, so watering thoroughly at the first sign helps restore root-zone moisture and allows the grass to recover without staying perpetually wet on the leaf surface. Deep, infrequent irrigation encourages deeper roots and reduces prolonged leaf wetness, which lowers the opportunity for disease-causing fungi that thrive in constantly damp conditions. Sprinkling every hour keeps the foliage wet for long periods, creating ideal conditions for diseases and promoting shallow roots. Watering only once a year or not at all would leave the turf severely stressed or dead. So responding to wilting with a thorough irrigation is the best practice for healthy turf and disease reduction.