Watering Your Lawn

Apr 15

Watering the lawn is much more than running sprinklers at night or spraying your lawn with a hose. Water management is an integral component of a sound lawn care program.

Requirements

The water requirements of a lawn can vary depending on grass species, soil texture, climate and desired level of aesthetics and maintenance. As a rule of thumb, the healthiest turf is on the thirsty side which encourages root growth as they seek moisture deeper in the ground.

Irrigation

A lawn can be watered with a movable sprinkler or an underground irrigation system. In either care, they require spray overlap for even coverage.

Frequency

Water should be applied deeply and infrequently to simulate natural weather patterns. Long intervals between watering encourage the grass to develop deep, strong root system which results in increased drought tolerance. Shallow and frequent waterings lead to shallow rooted grass and a weaker overall plant. One or two deep waterings per week are better than watering a little every day.

Timing

The ideal time to water the grass is in the hours between 3:00 am and 6:00 am. If this cannot be performed in these suggested time duration you can water the lawn as early as possible preferably before the heat of the day begins. Watering in the evening is acceptable as a last resort, but this can lead to conditions which promote potential disease.