Did you know that 32 percent of people in the United States don’t know how often they should water their lawns?
Having a healthy lawn is a great statement for your home and shows that you prioritize lawn care and the appearance of your property. Knowing when to water the lawn and how much water to use is essential for lawn health.
If you’re worried about lawn maintenance, worry no more. You’ve come to the right place to learn about how much to water your lawn to make sure it is healthy and lush.
Continue reading for tips and tricks to know how often to water your home’s lawn.
When Should You Water the Lawn?
With a beautiful and healthy lawn, you’ll get to enjoy your outdoor space better. Therefore, it’s important to properly water your lawn to keep it healthy and green. Overwatering can lead to issues such as fungus and soil compaction, while underwatering can cause drought stress and browning. To determine the proper watering schedule for your lawn, you must consider factors such as your soil type, climate, and grass type.
It’s generally better to water your lawn deeply and infrequently rather than watering it lightly daily. This allows the grass roots to grow deeper, which makes the grass more drought-resistant. Aim to water your lawn deeply once or twice a week, depending on the weather and soil conditions.
Furthermore, there are some telltale signs that you can read from the color of your lawn about if it is thirsty and needs some water. If your lawn has a greyish tint to it or dull green color, your lawn is in need of water.
Another clear sign that our lawn is in need of water is how springy it is. You can test this by walking on it. If it is healthy, it won’t leave footprints but will spring back to where it was because of the moisture inside of it.
Unhealthy grass will remain smashed down, and you’ll leave footprints through it. If your lawn doesn’t recover, then you need to water it more to get it back to optimal health.
When it comes to the best time to water your grass, there is actually an optimal time of day for watering. If possible, water your lawn in the morning. The ideal time is any time before 10 a.m.
This time is best because the sun isn’t as high and the winds are lower. This allows the water to settle into the soil and be absorbed by the grass before evaporation occurs.
If you’re not able to water your lawn in the morning, aim for a time between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. because that will give your grass time to dry before the sun goes down.
There is a downside that comes with watering at night. There is an increased chance that disease with strike your lawn. It is also important to know that you don’t need to water your lawn. Grass can go dormant for weeks without water and will return to health when it rains.
If you have an extensive lawn, you might need the help of professionals in caring for and maintaining it. You can consider contacting Longmont Lawn Care or any law care services in your local area. With this, you ensure your lawn will be taken care of and maintained properly.
Aside from this, using a soil moisture gauge or keeping an eye on the appearance and feel of your grass can also help you determine when to water. By doing so, you can ensure that your lawn is getting the right amount of hydration to thrive.
How Much Water to Use for Lawn Care
The best approach to take when watering an established lawn is to water until the six to eight inches of soil beneath the grass is wet. That means that the lawn needs between one and one and a half inches of water for optimal lawn health. That water can come from rain or from watering.
It is up to you to decide if you want to provide that amount of water through one watering or if you’d like to spread it out throughout the week.
Ways to Tell If You’ve Watered Enough
There are a variety of signs and ways to tell if you or your lawn care services company is watering your lawn enough. Here are some tips to ensure the best lawn health possible.
Check Your Soil
A great way to check how long it is taking your lawn’s soil to absorb the water you’re giving it is to check it every 15 minutes during the first watering. You can do this by using a screwdriver to test the depth that the water has moved.
Don’t mark the time until the water has soaked six inches deep into your lawn’s soil. That way, you’ll have a benchmark for how long you’ll need to water your lawn each time you water it.
A good rule of thumb is that if you can’t stick the screwdriver six inches deep into the ground, you need to water your grass to keep it healthy.
Do the Math
This is the best way to know if you’ve watered enough if you water your lawn using a sprinkler system. The lawn care services company will let you know the flow rate of the system, so all you need to do is compute some basic math.
If you know the square footage of your lawn, you’ll multiply that number by 0.62 gallons. This amount is equal to one inch of water per square foot. From there, you’ll want to divide that number by the flow rate of your sprinkler system.
Measure the Amount of Water With Cans
If you’ve got some empty soup or tuna cans around the house, you can put these to good use before recycling or disposing of them. Start by cleaning them and then place them around your lawn in different areas.
From there, see how long it takes for these cans to collect between one to one and a half inches of water in them. Sprinkler times will vary across your lawn, so don’t mark the time until all of the cans that you set out have collected that amount of water.
Flow Timers
Another great way to ensure that you’ve watered your lawn enough is to invest in a flow timer that measures in the hundreds of gallons. Using the flow timer, you’ll multiply your square footage of the lawn by 0.62 gallons to figure out how much water is needed for watering the whole lawn.
When watering your lawn, if you start to notice puddling in areas, you should shorten the cycles of the watering time. It is vital to your lawn’s health that you give it time to absorb the water that is pooling there before giving it more.
Enjoy a Healthy and Happy Lawn
Lawn care is essential to a classy and aesthetically pleasing appearance for your home and property. There is a balancing act that comes with keeping optimal lawn health.
If possible, water your lawn during the morning, and be sure to provide your lawn with one to one and a half inches of water throughout the week. Also, be sure to give it time to absorb the water that you’re providing for the best results and health.
For more helpful tips when it comes to real estate, design, and more, be sure to explore our other blog posts!
