Lawn Watering Guidelines You Should Know About
The easy answer is to water at least a half-inch twice a week in the morning, but you need to know more to keep your grass healthy. The principles below can assist you in determining what is best for your grass.
Table of Contents
How Often and Long Should You Water Your Lawn
Watering Schedule
Start with half an inch of water twice a week (including rain) as a decent starting point for watering frequency, but keep an eye on your grass at all times. It will notify you if and when it requires more frequent watering.
Thirsty grass will appear agitated. The color fades to a dull blue-green, and the blades curl or fold frequently. Walking over the grass and seeing your tracks is another symptom of drought-stricken grass.
Regardless of your typical watering plan, water the stressed area when you detect any of these indicators.
Deeper Water
Keep in mind that watering your grass more deeply and less frequently leads to deeper roots and more nutrients and water available for it to develop and thrive. Drought-resistant grass has deeper roots because the soil dries from the surface down. Many weeds, particularly crabgrass, are deterred by deeper irrigation.
Experts recommend soaking your lawn to a depth of six to eight inches to foster deeper roots. The amount of water required to achieve six to eight inches can vary depending on your sprinkler's output and the soil type in your yard. A sandy yard may only require a half-inch of water to reach that depth, whereas a clay yard may require as much as 1.75 inches.
How to Check Your Yard’s Moisture Depth
To establish how far down the soil is moist, push a spade or stake into the ground two to four hours after watering. Because the spade moves more readily in damp soil, you'll notice it when you reach dry earth. Increase the watering time if the earth is dry less than six inches down.
Keep an Eye Out for Run-Off
Keep an eye out for the run-off. Clay soil takes longer to absorb water than other soil types. To allow the water to soak into the ground, you may need to switch off the sprinkler on and off.
Don’t Water Too Much
Install a rain gauge if you have a sprinkler system to avoid watering wet grass. Too much watering can harm your grass by encouraging algae, root rot, and other problems.
Check shaded areas for excessive watering regularly, as they may require less frequent watering than sunbathed parts. Also, keep an eye on sprinklers to prevent too much overlap.
Daylight Savings Time
Observe how long it takes for one inch of water to accumulate in a container of plastic in your yard. The best time to irrigate is shortly before daybreak, when temperatures and wind speeds are at their lowest.
Watering immediately before daybreak, while the grass is still moist with dew, has also been shown to help prevent common lawn illnesses. Sunrise times change every two or three weeks, so check them every two or three weeks and adjust your watering timers accordingly.
The Map of the Land
The type and species of grass you have, the condition of your soil, and the amount of shade in your yard all impact how frequently you should water your lawn.
For example, Zoysia requires more frequent watering than most Bermuda kinds, while grass cultivated in sandy soil needs more watering than grass grown in clay soil. On the other hand, shady areas keep moisture for longer. They may require less regular watering than places in direct sunlight. Knowing your grass type and the environment in which it grows will aid you in avoiding harm from excessive or insufficient water.
Climate Conditions
Keep in mind ever-changing weather variables such as wind, heat, and hours of sunlight. Prolonged dry spells can increase your lawn's thirst for water.
Lawns may require extra water if there is a buildup between the green blades of grass and the soil and frequently fertilized.
New Grass
Existing lawns require more water than new grass. If you're installing sod, take a break between pallets to water the newly laid grass. If you wait until the project is completed to begin watering, you risk causing damage.
New sod may need to be soaked twice a day in the summer, once in the morning and evening. You can follow the watering requirements for existing lawns until the turf is established, which normally takes two to three weeks.
Water Conservation
Watering the grass can be an expensive endeavor unless you irrigate from a well or other private source, especially during the summer. Watering wisely will save you money in the long term and assist you during dry seasons when water usage is restricted by communities. Any good irrigation strategy aims to use as little water as possible while maintaining a beautiful and healthy lawn.
Frequently Asked Questions About Watering the Lawn
