How Often And How Long Should I Water My Lawn

When To Water Your Lawn After Fertilizing

If your lawn gets liquid fertilizer, wait until it dries before watering, about 2-4 hours.If its granular fertilizer, water right away. One exception: if you also got spot weed treatments at the same time, wait for that to dry before watering, or the water will wash off the weed killer before it can work.

Six Weeks After Hydroseeding The Lawn

If four to six weeks pass and your lawn looks on track and healthy, then it is okay to stop watering the lawn so frequently. Depending on the lawns health and the heat, You can scale your watering all the way back to half an hour every week. If the rain comes for one day in a week, you do not have to water your lawn that week.

Let the rain take care of your hydroseed lawn, and do not add any extra moisture. In the first six weeks, the mulch needs to be slightly moist at all times. Now, allow the lawn and the mulch to dry out. Just be sure to water every section of the lawn thoroughly when it is time to water it.

How Many Times A Week To Water

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How Much Water Does My Lawn Need

Many homeowners arent exactly sure how much water is necessary to keep plants thriving during the summer. Heres the short, frustrating answer: it depends.

What factors dictate your summer water requirements?

A few variables are your soil type, grass type and how much shade your lawn gets.

Generally speaking, lawns with more shade or clay soil dont need as much water. However, if your soil is porous and sandy, your lawn will probably need more water.

You can determine what kind of soil you have in your lawn by doing a test. There are a number of ways to do this, but Texas A& M will test your soil for no charge if you send in a sample.

Want a ballpark figure, just to get an idea? Most lawns need somewhere between three-quarters to one and a half inches each week to stay green and healthy.

Now, an even more important question: what does that mean in terms of how long and how often you should water?

How Much To Water Your Lawn

Watering the proper amount is criticaloverdo it, and your grass, your water bill, and the environment will suffer. The amount of water you need is generally 1 to 1.5 inches per week, but it can vary depending on your grass type, the climate you live in, your soil type, and the age of your lawn.

Established Lawns

In general, you want the top 6-8 inches of soil to be moist, but not soggywhich translates to 1 to 1.5 inches per week. Watering deeply, but infrequently, leads to stronger root development and drought-resistance than watering briefly every day. You can break up these waterings into twice a week during most of the year, or three times a week during the hot summer months.

Newly Seeded or Sodded Lawns

To encourage proper growth, newly seeded or sodded lawns need moisture in the top inch of their soil, but not so much that they turn soggy. Instead of watering a few times a week, you will need to take a mister and gently spray the newly seeded areas once to two times a day, depending on the weather.

As the seeds germinate, keep the top 2 inches of soil moist. Once the grass grows to a 3-inch mowing height, you can reduce watering to twice a week. Then, you should soak the soil down 6-8 inches, like you would an established lawn.

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Keep Your Lawns Thriving This Summer

Whether you want to keep your lawn healthy for summer activities, or you simply wish the best health for it, there can be value in watering your lawns properly. Adopt a regular lawnmowing schedule and talk to a lawn mowing company about their recommendations for watering.

Most importantly, remember to follow all local council requirements regarding water restrictions and general water usage.

How Long Does Grass Seed Take To Grow

How long it will take for your new grass seed to begin to grow really depends on where you live, your climate and what type of grass you plant. It can take anywhere between 3 and 28 days for new grass seed to begin to grow.

A beautiful, vibrant lawn not only looks great, but it also provides a place for you and your family to play, relax and enjoy. A consistent water schedule for watering new grass seed is key to making sure youre growing a healthy, lush green lawn that will give you years of enjoyment and beauty.

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Install Drip Lines And Rain Gauge

To ensure your entire yard is getting enough water, install drip irrigation lines for trees, shrubs and gardens, and install a rain gauge. Drip irrigation is a great way to ensure smaller plants still receive deep watering without the risk of being overwatered by a sprinkler. Likewise, a rain gauge will tell how much water the yard is receiving from rain and may even help you save on your water bill!

The Consequences Of A Lack Of Water For Your Lawn

When the lawn is left unwatered for an extended period of time, the lawn seeks protection from water stress and goes dormant. It therefore stops growing, which causes the appearance of a dark yellowish or brownish color. At this point, the leaves and stems dry out and turn brown, but the underground parts still remain alive.

In general, a well-maintained lawn can survive summer droughts without the need for irrigation. However, after 4 weeks without water, it is very likely that your lawn will take on a yellowish or orange tint, which means that it is seriously dried out and needs urgent watering.

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How To Tell If Your Grass Isnt Getting Enough Water

There are several tell-tale signs that you need to water your lawn. Its simple as can be, but if your once-vibrant green lawn has taken on a gray shade, you need to water. Curled grass blades are another indicatorit means your grass is thirsty.

If youre unsure, consider tackling one of two tests. For the step test, simply walk on your lawn. If your lawn is well-watered, your grass should spring right back up where youve stepped. If it doesnt, its lacking moisture, so it needs water.

The screwdriver test is another classic. See if you can drive a long-bladed screwdriver 6 inches into the soil. If you cant push the tool down that far or you meet a lot of resistance, its time to water.

The Best Time To Water Your Grass

Follow these eight tips for healthy grass with a deep, strong root system.

Proper watering is as important to maintaining a lush, green lawn. Too little water and the grass will shrivel up and die too much water and itll become over-saturated and die. Watering a lawn seems like a simple enough task, but for most of us knowing the best time to water your grassand how long to water your lawncan be confusing.

To provide you with a time-proven, easy-to-follow strategy for watering lawns, we contacted lawn care expert Matt Maurer, owner of PureLawn Lawn Services, with branches in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. Matt shared with us the following eight DIY-friendly tips for growing a resilient, healthy lawn with a deep, strong root system.

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The absolute best time to water your lawn is the early morning, before 10 a.m., says Maurer. Cooler temperatures and calm breezes help keep evaporation to a minimum. And watering in the morning keeps the turf cooler during the hottest parts of the day, which means less stress on the grass.

As a general rule, you should water long enough to moisten the soil down to about 6 inches, which is the average depth of a healthy grass-root system. It takes about one inch of water to properly hydrate normal lawns to that depth. But, Maurer warns, “Each lawn has different soil. You have to water for your specific property.” There are a few ways to determine whether your lawn is getting the right amount of water.

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How Much Water To Use

When watering an established lawn, its typically recommended to water until the top 6-8 inches of soil is wet. Be sure not to overwater your lawn. Most lawns need 1 inch of water per week, either from rain or watering, to soak the soil 6-8 inches deep. The inch of water can either be applied during a single watering or divided into two 12-inch waterings during the week.

Learn To Read A Lawn And Know When To Water

Turfgrass water-use rates are high during sunny and windy days with low relative humidity. In situations where lawns are not watered and rainfall is limited, grasses first show symptoms of wilt and later turn completely brown.

Signs that a lawn should be thoroughly watered for grasses to remain green and actively growing

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How Often Should A Hydroseeded Lawn Be Watered

Watering a hydroseeded lawn occurs in two stages: the first four to six weeks and after the first six weeks. The amount of water needed in these two time frames is drastically different, so this guide will treat them as two stages. Below this section, we included a few watering tips so you can provide your hydroseed lawn with the best care possible.

Watering Cool Vs Warm Season Grasses

You need to care for different grass types in different ways to keep them at their healthiest and hardiest.

Cool Season Grasses

These types of grasses, like fescue, rye, and bluegrass, grow actively in the fall. Theyll need about 1-1.5 inches every week until the growing season ends, roughly when the first frost sets in. If you dont water cool season grasses during a drought, they will go dormant but re-green when it starts raining again.

Warm Season Grasses

Warm season grasses, including bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia, and centipede grass, do most of their growing in the summertime. Overall, they require less water than cool season grasses, but even they need extra water in the dead heat.

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Watering Different Types Of Lawns

During the first year of your lawns growth, whether it’s a newly seeded, sodded, sprigged, or plugged lawn, don’t rely solely on Mother Nature to do the watering. Additional irrigation should always be provided.

When watering a newly seeded lawn, the key is to keep the top inch of soil consistently moist but not soggy. You will likely need to mist the seeded area once or twice a day . Once the seeds start to germinate, continue to keep the top 2 inches of soil moist until the new grass reaches a mowing height of around 3 inches. After that, begin to cut back watering to twice per week and soak the soil deeper, about 6-8 inches, to encourage the grass roots to grow down deep into the soil.

Why Is Proper Watering Important

Most living things require water to thrive, and your grass is no exception. Proper lawn watering keeps your lawn looking lush, promotes a healthy roots system, and even helps reduce the number of weeds in your lawn. With a few basic tips, you can keep your lawn watered well and avoid pitfalls from over or under-doing it.

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How Often Should You Water Your Lawn

Everything living requires hydration to survive, including your lawn. You need to water your lawn to keep it healthy and strong, but it can be difficult to gauge how often you should be watering it and how much water your lawn actually needs.

The weather is always changing, but weve reached a time of year where the precipitation is few and far between, so watering your lawn becomes especially important. You also want to make sure you do so efficiently, in case we run into a stretch with no rain and receive some water-use restrictions from the government.

So, to learn how frequently you should water your lawn, you need to consider several factors.

We want to ensure your lawn gets the best care possible, so if you have any other questions or concerns about how to water your lawn, our team of professionals would be happy to assist you.

We offer services to keep your lawn healthy and thriving through the summer season, so call us today to book a consultation with one of our experts and get started on your summer lawn care.

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Quick Facts On Lawn Watering

• Lawns in Missouri may require as much as 1 to 1-1/2 inches of water per week from irrigation or rainfall during summer to remain green and actively growing.
• When managed properly, tall fescue requires 25 percent less water and zoysiagrass requires 50 percent less water than Kentucky bluegrass to maintain a green, actively growing lawn in Missouri.
• Turfgrasses in Missouri rank as follows in resistance to leaf wilting and browning during summer dry periods Bermuda, zoysia, tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass.
• During extended periods of summer drought, dormant lawns containing Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue or perennial ryegrass should receive 1-1/2 inches of irrigation every two weeks to maintain hydrated grass crowns and allow for full lawn recovery when more favorable moisture and temperature return in the fall.
• Deeper roots draw moisture from a larger volume of soil and thus require less supplemental irrigation.
• Taller grass has deeper roots and a lower tendency to wilt.
• Taller grass provides shading of the soil surface and reduces lethal temperatures near the base of grass plants.
• Lawns mowed weekly at a taller mowing height are less likely to be scalped. Scalped lawns lose density and have shallow root systems.

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How Long Should I Water My Lawn

If you want the most accurate answer for how long you should be setting your sprinklers to run, you can follow these steps:

• Put some small cans out on your lawn in each watering zone.
• Run your sprinklers in each zone for 15 minutes.
• Measure the water depth for each zone by checking the amount of water in the cans.
• Multiply that number by four to determine the hourly precipitation rate. For example, if you have one and a half inches of water, you would multiply that number by fifteen to get 6 inches per hour.
• Select the station thats closest to you on Texas A& Ms online tool.
• Select Home Owner on the next screen.
• Fill out the Home Owner Calculator that pops up. For Step 3, use the hourly precipitation rate you measured using your cans.
• Hit Calculate and you will be given the total run time and the run time per irrigation station, depending on how many times per week you plan to run your sprinklers.

Want an example?

Lets say you have a lawn that receives full sun, has St. Augustine grass and got very little rainfall in the last week. Using the weather evapotranspiration data in the online tool, you would need to run your sprinklers for a total of 41 minutes each week. So, if you water twice a week, that would be 21.5 minutes each time .

When To Water Your Lawn

As youve probably heard, watering early is the way to go. Cutler recommends the window between 5 a.m and 10 a.m., and for a couple of reasons. Not only do you want to beat the heat of day, when too much H2O gets lost to evaporation, you also want to get the job done before the wind kicks up and messes with your sprinkler patterns, making it tough to water evenly. Breezy conditions = inefficiency.

Golf courses sometimes water in the dead of night, but thats out of necessity, Cutler says , and he doesnt recommend it. When you water after dark, you open the door to fungus and mildew, which creep in when moisture sits for too long on the grass.

When you water after dark, you open the door to fungus and mildew

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The perils of these problems are especially pronounced right after mowing, when turf is in a bruised and vulnerable state . So, when you cut your turf, allow it time to recover before you water . And, of course, if you mowed that afternoon, its an especially bad idea to water that night.

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