The Best Time To Water Grass On A Hot Day
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Watering your lawn at the wrong time of day wastes water and can dehydrate your grass. The best time of day to water your lawn is during the coolest parts of the day when winds are light. The type of grass you are growing and the characteristics of your yard affect the time to water your lawn.
How To Water Your Lawn
The right watering is essential for a green and healthy lawn. Here are Husqvarnas tips on how to keep your grass perfectly hydrated.
A dehydrated lawn can turn brown and brittle or even die. On the other hand, too much water pushes the air out of the soil, leaving the grass without oxygen and at risk of turning rotten. The secret to a great-looking lawn is to keep it hydrated just enough at all times. Youll get the best result by watering the lawn thoroughly but not too frequently.
When Is The Best Time To Water Grass In Hot Weather
last updated on By William Aguinaldo
Having a lawn brings with it a good amount of responsibility. If not taken care of properly, your house could have a bad and messy outlook. Especially in summer, it is essential to have proper watering during hot days.
In this article, we will provide some tried and experimented lawn watering tips that might come in handy.
Many factors contribute to the proper growth of grass. Among them water is one of the most significant ones. However, it is one of the challenging ones too.
During hot weather, it is crucial to maintain a balance between too much and too less.
Finding this balance is a tricky business and since this balance differs from weather to weather, it simply adds more to the plate.
This article will solely focus on the proper watering of grass during the hot weather. In such times, extra watering is required when the grass is comparatively drier, and the soil tends to absorb more water than usual.
Practically, the best time to water grass in hot weather is when the temperature is low. This is normally in the early morning, when the sun has started to rise. At such times, you can see dew drops on the grass blades.
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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.
Best Time To Water The Lawn In Tennessee And Mississippi
The timing of when you water is a critical factor. Though a lot of homeowners come home and decide to water after work, this can be problematic, particularly if night temperatures are over 65 degrees.
Thats because sunlight isnt available to allow for the lawn to naturally dry up excessive moisture as it would throughout the day. The combination of moisture and heat can lead to fungal growth overnight.
Turf disease develops from an interaction between a susceptible plant, a disease-producing organism and an environment favorable for the disease-causing organism to grow. This is known as the turf disease triangle.
However, watering in the middle of the day, when the sun is its strongest, can also be problematic. Too much water will evaporate before allowing the roots to take in what they need.
Because of all that, the ideal time to water the lawn is early in the morning just at sunrise or immediately beforehand. Your lawn roots will get a nice soaking before allowing the sun to naturally evaporate any excessive moisture off of leaf blandse before nightfall.
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Ensure Your Lawn Is Getting Enough Water
Watering on a regular basis is essential to achieving a thick, healthy lawn. By working together with your lawn care company, youll have the knowledge and tools to properly water your lawn and give it the care it needs.
Our custom blended fertilizers can actually help your lawns root system to retain moisture better over time, by adding bionutritional materials that can help you get the most out of your watering efforts.
If you ever have any questions about the best time to water grass in Ohio or Northern Kentucky, the lawn technicians at Oasis Turf & Tree are always available to help. When we come to your home, were not just there to perform treatments. A healthy lawn is a team effort, and its our goal to continuously educate you on what you can do to achieve success.
Environmentally Friendly Tips For Greener Lawn Watering
- Mow to a height of 2-3 inches, leaving taller grass blades to shade the soil and limit evaporation.
- Set an alarm to avoid forgetting that sprinklers are running.
- Use a sprinkler head that sprays larger droplets to avoid losing water through evaporation or wind.
- Consider seeding with a drought-tolerant lawn type.
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Watering Lawn At Night: Good For Your Grass Or Bad Idea
Youre not a person who likes waste. So, when you heard that watering during the day was a bad idea because the sun just evaporates the water, you did what seemed like the obvious thing. You switched the timer on your sprinkler system to water at night.
After a while, though, you notice some bare brown spots developing on your lawn. You think your grass must need more water, so you extend your watering time. How frustrating is it when you notice the problems only get worse? Very.
By the time you call in a professional who tells you its root rot, the problem has gotten bigger and costlier. Or maybe you hear you have brown patch. What is brown patch? The short answer is that both conditions can turn into huge headaches. To make matters worse, your lawn technician may tell you that its your fault. How? By watering your plants at night.
Some homeowners water their lawns based on a common misconception: that our hot summer days make daytime watering useless. If water evaporates before it gets to the roots, you would only assume you should change to night watering.
The truth is: watering at night is a bad idea. Thats why we created this guide about the best time to water your lawn. Keep reading to learn exactly why night watering leads to issues, as well as what the best time to water your lawn is for your climate.
What Youll Learn:
The Best Time Of Day To Water Your Lawn
The best time to water your lawn is early in the morning since it is cooler and the winds tend to be calmer, so the water can be absorbed by the roots before it evaporates. If for some reason you cannot water in the morning, it is best to water between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. rather than during the day or early afternoon. During the day more than 50% of the water evaporates before entering the ground. Make sure the blades of grass dry before dark to reduce the risk of fungal disease. Watering in the evening is not recommended!
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How Many Minutes Should You Water Your Lawn
The time is dependent on your irrigation system. Your lawn needs about an inch of water per week . So ideally, you should water the lawn with a half-inch of water, 2-3 times per week. Watering with less water and more frequently will result in a more shallow root system. Be sure to buy the best sprinkler and irrigation heads for your lawns square footage.
When Is The Best Time To Water Your Lawn In Cooler Weather
While longtime residents know that there are very definitively four seasons in the south, theyre not quite as distinct as the traditional seasons we learn about in school.
This is especially true where lawns are concerned. Generally speaking, we have a hot growing season and a cooler mostly dormant season.
Which begs the question: whats the best time to water grass in the fall and winter?
Yes and no.
Why the complicated answer? Most of the time the answer is yes , but in some situations, its a no.
How so?
Heres the thing. Most people in the south probably wont need to water their lawns over the cooler parts of the year. Even in low-rain areas, theres usually enough water to support the roots. During this time of year, thats really all you need.
However, if you experience a long period without rain and feel the need to give your lawn a little H2O pick-me-up, you should follow the advice abovewater in the early morning. Youll want to do this for all the reasons already mentioned. Even though the sun isnt as strong in cooler weather, it still helps to evaporate the water.
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Our Services Are Guaranteed
If you are not completely satisfied with an All American Turf Beauty application to your lawn, we will re-apply the application at no additional cost and continue the regular lawn treatment program. Alternately, we will fully refund your cost for the application and cancel any further obligation on your part.
To qualify for the guarantee, you must call All American Turf Beauty within 30 days of application.
How Often To Water The Lawn
How often you water your lawn is also an important factor to consider. Instead of watering your lawn daily, we recommend watering 1 to 2 times per week if Mother Nature isnt already providing steady, soaking rains.
Deep and less frequent watering is ideal. Watering 1 to 2 times per week will provide you with better results by giving your lawn plenty of time to dry between waterings. This also helps to reduce turf diseases.
A soaking is the optimal type of watering that should be performed, as opposed to occasionally watering here or there. The goal is to deeply soak your lawn until the soil is moist to a few inches of depth. The exact amount of time this will take varies depending on the size of your lawn and your sprinkler system, but could take 45-60 minutes on average.
Of course, Mother Nature will hopefully be doing some of the watering work for you. Even so, you dont want to assume that a heavy downpour automatically means you can skip watering your lawn that week. Using a rain gauge is one of the most effective ways to measure the amount of water your grass is getting to make sure youre in the right range.
Moisture levels can also be tested with a soil probe, which will either take a sample out of the ground or use electronic sensors to test the moisture. A DIY alternative with an object you already own would be to see how easy it is to stick a stake or a screwdriver into the ground. If you cannot easily push it in, your soil is too dry.
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Fertilize Thirsty Grass For Best Results
Applying any kind of fertilizer to completely saturated soil is something you should never do. The fertilizer will end up either going down too deep for the roots to get their nutrition or running off entirely. This is bad for the environment, as it will end up in storm water draining systems. It is also a waste of money.
Have moderately moist or dry turf and your lawn will be ready to soak up every last bit of fertilizer you offer. Thats eco-friendly, and budget-friendly fertilization!
How Long Should I Water The Lawn
You should water your lawn once or twice a week, giving your grass 1 to 1.5 inches of water each time. The precise number of minutes for each watering will vary from lawn to lawn, depending on factors like the size of your lawn, the type of sprinkler you have, and its settings.
Here are a few methods for finding the number of minutes you should water your lawn.
- Do a can test: Tuna cans are 1 inch tall, and work best for this method. Empty one out, and set it in an area that your sprinkler hits. Turn your sprinkler on, and check the can periodically to see how long it takes to get ½ of an inch of water in there. You can use that to find how many minutes you need to water either once or twice a week.
- Break it down mathematically: Your sprinkler system will have a designated flow rate of gallons per minute, which you can find out from the manufacturer. To find out the number of minutes to run your sprinkler, multiply your lawns square footage by 0.62 gallonswhich is 1 inch of water per square footthen divide that total by the sprinkler flow rate.
- Look at a flow timer: Youll need a timer that measures flow in hundreds of gallons. Multiply the square footage of your lawn by 0.62 gallons, and that will tell you how many gallons you need to give your lawn the water it needs.
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Misconception #: The Best Time To Water My Lawn Is After The Sun Sets
While weve heard a lot of people in the Lehigh Valley or Buxmont, PA area say its best to water at night, the reverse is actually true.
The ideal time to water your lawn is just after the sun rises. At this time of day, its still cool and the water wont evaporate quicklybut it still gives the grass blades plenty of time to dry before the sun sets.
Wet, dark conditions create an ideal breeding ground for causing lawn disease that can damage your turf, so watering the lawn in the evening should be avoided.
If you cant find the time to water your lawn in the early morning, even with automated timers, then try to do it early enough during the day to allow grass blades to dry by nightfall. Mid-day watering wont hurt your lawn but you may need to do it longer as youll lose moisture to evaporation.
More Lawn Watering Advice
It is extremely important that a newly seeded lawn be kept moist but NOT SATURATED, until the seeds begin to grow. After the seeds have germinated and have begun to establish a root system, reduce the frequency of watering. Applying too much water will only inhibit germination and promote disease. As you reduce the watering frequency you should also increase the amount of water applied each time.
In 6-8 weeks after planting seed, you can treat your lawn like an established lawn.
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Consider Your Soil Type
If youre watering your lawn every three days for 30 minutes at a time and still not seeing results, the lawns soil may be to blame.
Lawns with coarse, sandy soil have large air spaces that let water pass quickly and should be watered more frequently for shorter durations. Heavier clay soils have smaller spaces that absorb and hold water longer and need less frequent deep watering.
To help support troubled turf, apply IFA Humate twice a year. The organic materials in this soil-activating treatment significantly increase the water-retention capacity of both sandy and clay soil, while also improving fertilizer efficiency.
Learn how the 3 key components in Humate improve the health of any plant!
How Should I Avoid Using Too Much Water
If youre in a drought, try to keep traffic from kids, pets, and vehicles off the lawn to minimize damage. Turfgrass may turn brown and look like its dead, but the crown and roots still are alive. Many times, it goes semi-dormant but usually recovers, says Landschoot. In fact, grass can survive for weeks without thinning if its watered or starts raining again. If you have other questions about your lawn or the type of grass in your region, your local university coop extension is a good place to start.
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How Long To Water New Grass Seed
How long to water new grass seed depends on your soil conditions and your sprinkler setup. In general, ten minutes of watering per session will provide enough water to keep the top couple inches of soil moist.
As your new grass seed grows and flourishes, you can water deeper and less frequently this will encourage established grass roots to extend deeply into the soil. When watering grass seedlings, gradually increase your morning watering sessions over time, while decreasing your evening watering. Eventually, youll want to water between 6 and 10 am, while the weather is still cool. An established lawn typically requires about 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall.
Use the chart below to help you plan out your ideal watering schedule:
How Often To Water New Grass Seed
Before you cast out new grass seed, its important to start with watering. Nature designed seeds to respond to moisture, so it makes perfect sense that watering grass seed properly is imperative to kick-start the germination process that results in healthy growth.
Measuring the depth of water penetration is easy! Simply insert a long screw driver into the ground. If it pushes down 6 to 8 inches without much resistance, you have the proper water saturation.
Youll want to maintain moisture in the seeding area from this point on. Remember that if the seeds are allowed to dry out, they will die.
If youre not receiving any rainfall, youll want to water new grass seed twice per day until the top couple inches of soil are moist.
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