How often grass should be watered depends on a few variables. The first factor to consider is the time of year. Between June and September when summer is full swing, a good rule of thumb is to water your grass once a week, otherwise, the arid climate will dehydrate your luscious lawn.
If it’s a particularly hot summer, you can adjust your schedule to two or three deep waters a week, but in extreme weather, you may even need to get out there once a day.
The next major variable is the weather, namely, rainfall. No matter the season, your grass needs to drink between 1 and 1.5 inches of water a week - that’s in winter too. As rainfall increases through autumn, winter, and spring, you won’t have to water your garden manually quite as often, so you can take a much-needed break.
In fact, in the tail end of fall and the start of winter, if the earth in your garden freezes over, you can roll up that hose indefinitely, as the soil will no longer be able to absorb moisture. It will all either add to the big freeze or linger in the canopy and increase the chance of fungal infection.
Once the thaw finally arrives, you can step up your hydration game again. In this initial reintroduction phase, it’s a good idea to reduce output to around 1.5 inches, as the ambient temperature isn’t high enough to evaporate as much water.
You should also consider the type and state of the grass in your turf. Taller grasses, for instance, need much more water than most short grasses simply because there’s more of them to nourish.
On the other hand, certain species of grass are more rugged than others and don’t require as much maintenance - watering included. Bermuda grass and Zoysia grass are fantastic examples of grasses with a tough disposition, as well as Fescue grass, Buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass, and Bahia grass. If you live in a particularly arid climate, any of these grasses are a great choice for your turf.
Last on the agenda is the age of grass. If you’ve got a bunch of freshly rolled out baby blades in your garden, you need to get out there twice a day for the first week of infancy. After this thirsty period has elapsed, you can ease off to around two to three times a week.
Grass takes between six and eight weeks to mature, so keep up this routine until then. Once your turf finally reaches adulthood, you can keep watering once a week.
At What Temperature Should You Stop Watering Grass?
Although watering your garden in a heatwave is absolutely essential to keep it hydrated and healthy, it’s best to avoid watering during the day’s hottest period. This is particularly pertinent if temperatures are nearing the 90 °F zone.
Watering your lawn between 12 and 3 in this scorching weather is both a waste of time and money. Most of the moisture will evaporate before your poor grass even gets a chance to utilize it. You’re just stacking up a hefty water bill for no reason.
As unpleasant as it may be, in these hot flashes, it’s recommended that you set your alarm for around 6 am, pull yourself out of that fluffy bed of yours, grab your hose, and get out in the garden to feed your grass children. If even the mention of 6am sent a shiver down your spine, you may be able to get away with a 10am watering as long as the temperature stays down.
With the temperature yet to soar, your grass is able to absorb all the moisture they need before the sun reaches its zenith in the sky.
As the temperature plummets in late autumn and early winter, it’s best to slightly reduce their drinking water, as they won’t lose as much to evaporation, but you should absolutely keep watering your grass in the cold until the earth freezes over.
Many novice green thumbs erroneously believe that watering before a frost will only harm their lawn, but it actually helps to strengthen your grass, ensuring it can handle the rigors of winter until the earth thaws.
How Many Minutes Should I Water My Lawn?
If you set off a sprinkler and place a watering can in the splash zone, how long before the can has 1 to 1.5 inches of water in it? You’ll normally be waiting for about 30 to 45 minutes. This means that you should water your grass with a sprinkler hose attachment for between 30 and 45 minutes at a time.
Bear in mind, that’s per zone. To thrive, your grass needs 1-1.5 inches of moisture across the whole lawn. If you have a large area to water or perhaps two or more distinct lawns, you’ll need to treat them all equally.
For those with larger gardens, this can lead to a pretty intensive watering schedule, but by and large, this is what it takes to keep that lawn looking green and luscious. If 30-45 minutes a session isn’t possible due to health issues or a busy schedule, it might be worth investing in an automated sprinkler system. They’ll take care of all the hard work, leaving you to kick back and enjoy your own personal Eden.
Should I Water My Grass at Night?
Life is so manic at times, out of necessity, the wellbeing of our yards plays second fiddle to more pressing engagements. We give up a gardening schedule for an ‘as and when we can’ approach. It just so happens that ‘when we can’ occurs after the sun’s gone down, but watering grass at night is never a good idea.
It seems like a pretty solid plan at first. Your grass gets a drink, you get a calming, moonlit stroll in your garden, but it’s best to wait for a spare moment in the daytime to give your gorgeous greenery a spritz.
The problem with watering grass at night is that there’s no heat to evaporate any of the excess moisture, so it stagnates in your lawn canopy, creating a hospitable environment for molds. Lawn disease is no rarity. Given half the chance, some form of fungus will take residence in your healthy lawn.
These fungal infections can be incredibly difficult to diagnose or even notice at first, but if they go untreated, they can lead to widespread discoloration and eventually the death of your grass.
Even if it’s still pretty sunny outside late in the day, it’s best to play it safe, and wait until the morning. When it comes to watering your lawn, the earlier, the better. Watering your grass in the morning affords it the longest possible time to air dry.
Grass that rests in shaded areas of your garden is far more at risk of infection whether you water it by day or night. Without direct sunlight, the water makes itself at home, followed shortly by herbivorous molds.
To give your grass a fighting chance, prune overhanging trees, and remove any obstructions. If problems persist, it may be a good idea to look into removing the turf and mulching the dark area instead.
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