If your mowing schedule coincides with your early morning watering schedule, by all means, water your grass after mowing. For those who prefer to mow their lawn during the day, wait to water the grass until the next morning.
If your lawn does need to be mowed and watered, make sure you schedule it for early in the day to avoid moisture evaporation and problems with disease. Don't water your grass before mowing. Wet grass tends to clump together on the lawn which could suffocate the grass underneath or promote fungal growth.
To water well, timing is everything. Water in the early morning – between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Midday watering leads to wasteful evaporation, while nighttime watering causes droplets to cling to grass overnight, increasing the chance of lawn diseases.
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).
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.
It is best to wait at least 24 hours after watering before mowing your lawn. This will give the soil time to absorb the water, making the ground firmer and easier to mow without damaging the turf.
Between irrigation and natural rainfall, your grass should receive between 1 and 1.5 inches of water each week during the summer. Water deeply every other day for the best results.
When watering an established lawn, it's typically recommended to water until the top 6 to 8 inches of soil (where most turfgrass roots grow) is wet. Most lawns need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week—either from rain or watering—to soak the soil that deeply.
1-2-3-2-1 watering technique:
In April water 1 day/week. In May ramp up to 2 times/week. In the heat of the summer water 3 times/week. In September drop back to 2 times/week.
Can You Water Grass After Mowing? Yes, you can water grass after mowing, however it is healthy to water it but only if it requires it. Watering will help the mowed blades perk up and survive being cut better. Take care not to water a lawn overwatered or from noon till late into the night.
If your grass gets too much water, it doesn't get oxygen and can actually suffocate. Too much water also makes your grass more susceptible to disease.
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.
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.
'As long as your blades are sharpened, and the grass isn't not soaking wet, mowing in the early morning dew is totally fine,' says Douglas Dedrick.
The short answer: No. Mowing wet grass can be problematic for your lawn, your lawn mower and you. If you do mow wet grass, you risk leaving clumps of clippings that could smother the grass beneath. Wet grass can clog the mower, causing it to overheat, and stick to the mower's underside, which is difficult to clean.
Wilting Grass
But overwatering can cause similar symptoms. Keep an eye out for signs of overwatering such as leaves and lawns that appear dull and faded, in addition to grass that does not spring back into shape after being pressed down.
Signs of a Dry Lawn
Testing for a lack of water can be done by probing the soil with a knife or screwdriver in both the wilted in and green areas. Higher difficulty of penetration in the wilted areas is a confirmation of lack of water. A healthy lawn will have blades standing up and a full green color.
Yellow grass can be caused by overwatering or underwatering.
Homeowners may think that the more the lawn is watered, the better condition it will be in. Unfortunately, overwatering the yard can drown grass roots and lead to less oxygen in the soil, which is essential for healthy, green grass.
Brown spots that appear after mowing are often caused by a dull mower blade. Dull blades will shred the grass instead of cutting it cleanly and will damage the ends. This causes the tips of the grass to die and turn brown. You can easily fix this by sharpening or replacing the blades on your mower.
Frequency of Mowing
Typically, mowing once a week during the growing season should suffice to keep your lawn healthy. The rest of the time, you can reduce the frequency of cutting to every other week, as necessary.
If it does look worse after mowing, like the left side of the picture below, chances are you're either cutting too much off at once, or mowing with a dull blade. Mowing properly can help your lawn look terrific. Mowing improperly can encourage weeds and browning.
In a drought, taller grass retains moisture better and thus stays greener longer than shorter grass. You can get away with less frequent watering if you cut your bluegrass to 2 to 3 inches, tall fescue to 3 inches, perennial ryegrass to 2 inches.
A longer grass blade will shade the ground underneath, keeping it cooler, meaning it won't dry our as quickly as when the lawn is mowed short. In other words, the lawn does not have to receive as much supplemental water.