In general during hot summer months, you should be watering your lawn up to three times per week if there wasn't any recent rainfall. As a general rule of thumb, watering up to one inch deep each time you water your lawn is ideal.
You might think that watering a little bit every day is a smart approach, but you'd be wrong. It's better to water “deeply and infrequently,” Cutler says. About a third of an inch every two to three days is a good goal.
How Much Should You Water The Lawn? In general, lawns in summer need about ½” of water every 3 days or so. If it's a little cooler where you are, say, in the high 70s, then you could get away with ½” every 3-4 days. If it's hotter where you are, say, 85 and sun all day, then maybe every 2-3 days.
On the other hand, watering longer but less frequently, “deep watering,” produces deep roots that mean lawns can better survive periods of drought. The ideal watering schedule is once or twice per week, for about 25 to 30 minutes each time. Taking care of a lawn doesn't have to be an overwhelming, all-consuming task.
If you are unable to water in the mornings, early evening (between 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM) is the next best time. This will give the grass enough time to absorb the water and dry before the sun goes down. While this time frame is acceptable, it's important not to water too late at night.
Avoid watering grass on a hot afternoon when it's 95 degrees or higher. The best time to water grass is at dawn or in the early evening. Water deeply three times a week instead of a little water daily. Test whether your sprinkler system is watering your lawn evenly.
Water deeply every other day for the best results.
You should not water your grass every single day for a few minutes, as this could leave it susceptible to drought over the long haul.
A related question is how often to water your lawn. You do not have to provide the required 1 inch per week all at once. Instead, you can water for 30 minutes twice a week. But some experts advise against extending irrigation sessions beyond that (for example, watering for 20 minutes three different times a week).
Many grasses can stay in dormancy for 3-4 weeks without beginning to deteriorate to the point of plant death. When the prolonged period without rain ends, the turf is able to regenerate from rhizomes and stolons.
1. Water Thoroughly: Rotor zones should run for about 30-40 minutes per zone and spray zones 10-15 minutes per zone. 2.
Don't water everyday.
The more shallow your grass roots are, the less hearty it will be in hot weather. Instead water about two times per week for longer periods of time.
In the blazing summer, when temperatures are between 90-100+, try watering 3-4 times a week.
Most oscillating sprinklers will put off about one inch of water an hour. That would mean that you would need to water your lawn for one hour, once a week (twice weekly in periods of extreme drought). For less established lawns, you may need to increase the frequency as your lawn's root system becomes more robust.
Water Wisely
Most lawns need to be watered no more than three days a week in the spring as well as in the summer and two days a week in the fall. This watering schedule is recommended under normal water supply conditions.
It may seem obvious, but keeping your lawn watered is critical for lush and green grass. You'll need to assure your lawn gets 1 inch of water per week. If it's not raining regularly, set up a sprinkler. Alternatively, make watering your yard part of your morning routine.
1) Watering for Too Long
This should be no more than three times per week. Set a timer for 20 minutes and stick to your schedule, even if you think the lawn needs more water. You don't want to oversoak it.
Most grass needs watering between 20 to 40 minutes at a time. Water your grass one to three times a week in peak growing seasons. Your grass type, region, and amount of rainfall impact watering times. Watch out for signs of too much or too little watering to avoid disease or dead grass.
You will also see the difference when you start to water or when rain returns as moisture will revive brown grass. However, it will not bring dead grass plants back to life.
During extremely hot weather (daytime temperatures above 90F and nighttime temperatures above 70F), try to water daily or every other day. In a 10x10-foot garden, this would mean giving your plants 8 to 9 gallons of water each day.
In times of extreme heat, it is vital to water your lawn for about 30 to 45 minutes daily. Once the temperatures drop below ninety, you can cut back to watering three to four times a week, until that blissful thunderstorm comes and quenches your lawn's thirst!
It is ideal for watering your lawn about 1 inch of water for every single application per week. On average, it takes 30 minutes to disperse 0.5 inches of water. Therefore, you must water your lawn in hot weather three times per week, for about 30 minutes each, to get an inch of water on your lawn.
It is often recommended that you water your lawn early in the morning, as early as 4 am and no later than 10 am. During extreme heat, watering should be done no later than 7 am.
Once temperatures reach 77 degrees, it becomes too hot for root growth, and root growth ceases. When temperatures reach 90 degrees, it becomes too hot for shoot growth and the grasses stop growing and begin to fall dormant, with the surface grass turning a brown hue.
Although a low-cut, manicured lawn might seem ideal, turf grass actually does better in the summer heat when you let it grow a bit. Longer shoots mean deeper roots, which the lawn needs to suck up whatever moisture is in the soil. A higher lawn also shades the soil, minimizing evaporation.