For a healthy lawn, don't water every day — this will result in your grass having a shallow root system. Instead, water deeply a few times per week to encourage deep roots. The depth of your grass roots determines how strong and healthy your lawn is.
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.
So, how often should you water your lawn in the summer? The answer may surprise you. 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.
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.
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.
Water Thoroughly: Rotor zones should run for about 30-40 minutes per zone and spray zones 10-15 minutes per zone. 2. Water Frequently : Sod areas should be watered at least 2 or 3 times daily for the first two weeks.
Watering 101
Your lawn needs 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week. A typical in-ground sprinkler system provides ½” of watering, per zone, in a half an hour. This would mean that you need to run each zone of your sprinkler system for 30 minutes, 3 times a week to sufficiently hydrate your lawn.
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.
Typically, most lawn irrigation periods during the summer should last between 25–30 minutes each. This amount of time depends on a lot of different factors though. As previously stated, each irrigation system or sprinkler can deliver different amounts of water and it's important to hit that 1 inch per week requirement.
To correctly water your lawn look at a thermometer outside. If it's 70-80 degrees outside try watering 2-3 times a week. During the spring your lawn will be fairly easy to manage so you don't have to water all the time. In the blazing summer, when temperatures are between 90-100+, try watering 3-4 times a week.
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.
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).
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.
Water Twice a Week Max
They want to water for 15 minutes every single day,” he says. “Be careful not to over-water. Most people think more water is better, but it's not.” Conversely, too frequent or very light watering can lead to fungus growth and a shallow root system that can't support the grass.
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!
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.
During really hot weather, water your vegetables at least two to three times a week. Watering the garden deeply is critical. The water must go down, down, down to encourage deep roots and get away from the hot soil surface.
Grass needs the benefit of the day to dry and heal before dusk settles. Since mowing your grass in the early morning can damage it and mowing it during the early afternoon can burn it because of all the high temperatures, the ideal time is mid-morning. That is of course if you're free during that time of day.
It's tempting to water your lawn in hot weather, especially if your grass is already looking a bit thirsty. But in most cases, you shouldn't water your grass when it's 95°F or hotter because the water will likely evaporate before it reaches the roots.
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.
Watering every day is not advised. It should be done 2 to 3 times per week only to prevent a shallow root system. If possible, water during the early morning hours to ensure that the lawn dries entirely before nightfall.
Watering in the morning (before 10 a.m.) is the best time for your lawn; it's cooler and winds tend to be calmer so water can soak into the soil and be absorbed by the grass roots before it can evaporate.
A common rule that is followed for obstructions within 18 inches of the sprinkler deflector is the “three times rule”. This requires sprinklers to be positioned away from obstructions a minimum or three times the maximum dimension of the obstruction.