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With warmer temperatures on the way, lawn care is a top priority for many. And if you take pride in having a yard with lush, healthy grass, you'll likely want your backyard to maintain its green appearance all summer long.
While you might think the obvious solution is to water your lawn daily to revive dead grass or keep it hydrated in a heatwave, you could be doing more harm than good. This is only made worse if you’re watering your lawn at the wrong time, too.
So, before you put your sprinklers on, here’s why experts want you to stop watering your lawn every day this summer.
Stop watering every day
If there’s one thing I hate during the summer months, it's scorched grass. However, besides providing hydration, overwatering can also deprive your lawn of the air it needs.
“If you water your lawn every day (or even every other day) for the standard 15-20 minutes, you’re actually creating more problems for your lawn than you’re solving,” states Craig Elworthy, Founder at Lawnbright.
“Watering too frequently keeps the soil consistently wet and unable to breathe. By watering frequently, you're also training the root system to stay near the surface, where water will always be readily available. As a result, the roots have no incentive to drive deep and away from the effects of the harsh summer sunlight on the first couple of inches of soil. The first two inches of soil are especially prone to the heating effects of the sun, which will scorch shallow roots.”
Additionally, turfgrass roots must grow deep to find water, moving past the top few inches of soil where the sun's heat is most intense.
How often should you be watering your grass?
If daily watering isn't the solution, what is the right frequency for hydrating your grass? And exactly how much water should you be giving without damaging your lawn?
“To help develop deep roots, water infrequently (once or twice per week) and deeply,” adds Elworthy. “Your watering session should allow for at least a half to three-quarters of an inch of water per session. This is significantly more than your standard 15-20 minute cycle. Depending on the water pressure and sprinkler head output, this could be measured in hours.”
In addition, if you notice browning or wilting, or spot uneven yellow patches of grass around your lawn, this could indicate they are getting less water than other areas. On the other hand, an overwatered lawn will show visible footprints and a squelching sound when you walk on it. Another way to check is by touching the surrounding soil: if it feels dry, your lawn likely requires watering.
Expert-approved tip: “To measure how much water your sprinklers output, place a coffee cup on your lawn and run the sprinklers for 30 minutes. You can measure the output with a ruler or measuring tape, then double that to determine the amount of water your irrigation puts out per hour. It’s probably less than you think.”
What specific times in the day are better for the lawn?
Alongside knowing the right frequency for watering, gardening experts also recommend a specific time of day for the task. “The best time to water is early in the morning, ideally between about 5 am and 9 am,” advises Skye Durrant, founder of LawnGuru.
“That gives the water time to soak into the soil before the heat of the day causes evaporation. It also allows the grass blades to dry out during the day, which helps reduce fungus and disease issues. I would avoid watering at night because the lawn stays wet for too long and can develop disease and fungal issues.”
However, if you must water your lawn later in the day, gardening experts suggest doing it between 4 pm and 6 pm. This timing is ideal because it gives the grass a chance to dry out and recover before the sun goes down.
What is the most effective way of watering the lawn
For the most efficient watering, an in-ground sprinkler system with a smart controller is recommended. These smart systems prevent overwatering by adjusting to current weather conditions and rainfall.
If you are using hose sprinklers, however, they can also be highly effective. The key is to ensure the watering is even and lasts long enough to thoroughly soak the soil, avoiding a small surface wetting.
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