When it comes to watering a lawn, many people get it wrong. Aside from mowing, how to water your lawn properly is the next most important thing you can do for your grass.
The general consensus is to water deep and infrequent but what does that mean? It means that you don’t need to water everyday. The goal is to water long enough so that the water soaks down to the roots rather than just running off the surface. Then wait about a day or until the soil is dry before watering again. This helps the grass develop a deep root system making it more drought tolerant.
How Long To Water
There’s no set amount of time to irrigate a lawn. This is because it varies due to differing water pressures and lawn square footage. The goal is to put down a 1/2 inch per cycle. To figure out how long it takes to put down 1/2 inch of water, you could purchase some sprinkler gauges or do the tuna can challenge.
The Tuna Can Challenge
Tuna cans are about 1 inch deep. Spread out a few empty tuna cans over the area to be irrigated. Turn on the water and wait to see how long it takes to fill the cans about half way. That’s how long you need to water your lawn each time.
When To Water Your Lawn
Try to water early in the morning between 5 and 8 am. This will help reduce water loss to evaporation and wind. Don’t water in the evening as this can create conditions favorable for the growth of fungus and other diseases.
How Often To Water
Watering frequency also varies due to different soil and weather conditions. Sandy soils require less water per cycle but need to be watered more often. Some weeks will be rainy while others won’t. For the most part, if you water about 1/2 inch each time, you can schedule it about every other day. You want to make sure your lawn gets at least 1 inch of water (rain included) per week. An inch and a half would be an ideal amount.
If you know that it rained at least 1 inch for the past week, you can skip watering a day or 2. A good resource to measure rain in your area is Weather Underground. You can enter your zip code, click on your zip code’s weather station then scroll down to get the precipitation info.
Best Sprinklers To Use
If you don’t have a sprinkler system installed, the best types of sprinklers to use are impact sprinklers. Water droplets are bigger and more resistant to wind and evaporation. I’ve used the Melnor Impact Sprinklers before and they work well. If you prefer another type of sprinkler this Aqua Joe Oscillating Sprinkler has also worked well for me.
By following these tips, you can help to keep your lawn looking its best in the most challenging conditions.
