Whether you're watering a well-established lawn or one that's newly seeded, sodded, or plugged, watering it correctly is important for its growth and overall health. Adhering to a few easy-to-follow steps will help you have the lush, healthy-looking lawn you want.
The first thing to consider is the best time to water your lawn. Early in the morning, especially before 10am, is the best time to water. Generally, at this time of day, temperatures are still cool and winds are calm which helps to keep evaporation low. If early morning doesn't fit your schedule, late afternoon to early evening, between 4pm and 6pm, is the next best option. Doing it then should still provide time for the grass to dry before nightfall sets in. Watering grass any later likely means the grass stays wet overnight, setting it up for disease to creep in.
All lawns have different soil composition, so you have to water for where you live, your property, and its soil. For instance, soils heavy with clay hold water longer and really only need watering once a week, while sandy soils drain quickly and need to be watered more often. Warm-season grasses such as St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda, and centipede develop deep root systems, so they withstand drought better and require less water than cool-season grasses. The cool-season grasses, such as perennial rye, Kentucky bluegrass, and fine fescue, go dormant and will turn brown during drought periods if not watered. However, they'll green up nicely once it rains or they're watered again.
There are different ways to determine if your lawn is receiving the correct amount of water. First, there's the simple screwdriver test. After watering your lawn, use a screwdriver with a long blade and push it into the soil. It should easily be able to penetrate 6" deep into the soil, the ideal depth water should reach to maintain a healthy lawn. If it doesn't penetrate that far, you're not watering enough.
If you prefer to do a little math, you can calculate the amount of time you should water your lawn based on your sprinkler's flow rate. Start by multiplying the square footage of your lawn by 0.62 gallons (which is equal to 1" of water per square foot), then divide by the flow rate of the lawn sprinkler. This will tell you how long, in minutes, you should be watering your lawn.
If you don't know the flow rate of your sprinkler or watering system, you can always use an aluminum can, such as a tuna can. Simply place one or more cans within the spray pattern of the watering zone and time how long it takes for the can to fill with 1" of water. That's the amount of time you should spend sprinkling your lawn each time.
Finally, you can use a water timer or flow timer. Select one that measures water flow in hundreds of gallons. Multiply your lawn’s square footage again by 0.62 gallons to determine the total number of gallons of water needed for your entire yard. Whichever method you choose to determine how long you should optimally water your lawn, if you see puddling throughout your yard when you water, try watering in shorter, on-and-off increments until the required time to apply the right amount of water is over.
There are a variety of options available to water your lawn, from hand watering with a hose to high-end, in-ground smart watering sprinkler systems. Choose whichever one works best for you. Pulsating sprinklers, which shoot water horizontally at a high velocity so the water isn’t impacted by wind, are good to use on well-established lawns. For freshly seeded yards, they don't work as well since the high velocity at which they deliver water can easily wash away grass seed. An oscillating sprinkler is a better choice in this instance. The water spray from an oscillating sprinkler is projected upwards and then lands softly on the lawn as it falls. The water isn't strong enough to push or move the seed much as it lands. An in-ground system delivers water most efficiently as the sprinklers are positioned very low to the ground and deliver a horizontal spray pattern for maximum benefit.
During the first year of any lawn's development, regular watering is going to be necessary. If you're watering a newly seeded lawn, it's important to keep the top inch of soil moist, but not saturated. Misting the seeded area one to two times a day will likely be needed. After the seeds germinate, continue watering to ensure the top 2" of the soil are now moist. Once the grass reaches a mowing height of approximately 3", you can cut back to watering twice a week while soaking the soil even deeper, to about 6" to 8". This will encourage the grass roots to grow healthy and deep down into the soil.
By timing it correctly and watering regularly, your lawn can thrive and look lush and healthy throughout the growing season.
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The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand and follow all manufacturer instructions.