Distinguishing between thedifferent types of grassand their moisture needs is another big factor in keeping your lawn healthy.
What Time of Day to Water Your Lawn?
Plus, watering in the morning gives the grass blades all day to dry out.
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Tip
Watering your lawn in the late afternoon or evening is not recommended.
Allowing grass blades to stay wet all night is an open invitation to disease.
Factors Affecting Your Lawn’s Watering Needs
Several factors affect your lawn’s watering needs.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
Understanding these factors helps you get the job done right.
However, very hot or windy weather makes water evaporate quickly which means more watering.
key in of Soil
Sandy, clay, orloamysoils require different waterings.
Water percolates quickly through sandy soil and may bypass the roots too quickly to do much good.
Water sandy soil more to get sufficient water into the root system.
Loam soils absorb water efficiently.
Cool-Season vs. Warm-Season Grasses
Generally, cool-season grasses need more water than moredrought-tolerantwarm-season grasses.
For example, cool-seasonKentucky bluegrass(Poa pratensis) requires more water than warm-seasonzoysia grass(Zoysia japonica).
How Much Water Does Your Lawn Need?
The average lawn needs between 1 and 1 1/2 inches of water weekly.
Let the rainfall provide most of the lawn’s watering needs while you supplement the rest.
The Spruce / Jayme Burrows
How Long Should You Water Your Lawn?
It should take your sprinkler about one hour to put out 1 inch of water.
Try the “tuna-can test” to verify this.
How Often Should You Water Your Lawn?
Watering too often keeps roots too close to the surface.
Less frequent watering makes the roots strike down deeper in search of water.
Having anautomatic irrigation systemremoves the responsibility of remembering when to water your lawn.
Once you go for the timer-setting you want, the system will carry out your order automatically.
Plan three 30-minute sessions during high heat or drought conditions.
Texas A&M Agricutultral Extension.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
