Water is essential to a healthy and thriving lawn. However, it is possible to damage your lawn by over or under watering. It's all about balance. Use the following tips to make sure your lawn gets properly watered. When to water Morning is the best time for watering the lawn. The wind is calmer and the air is not as warm so there is less evaporation. When the lawn is watered in the evening there is an increased chance of fungal disease.
How much to water Typically, you’ll want to water anywhere from 1 to 1.5 inches per week. During normal conditions, you’ll want to water twice a week at a rate of ½ an inch each session. During dry or drought conditions, you can go up to 3 times a week at ½ an inch per session. Sprinklers will vary on the rate of water delivered so you’ll want to get a rain gauge from your local hardware store to help determine the amount of time it takes to reach ½ an inch of water. Place the rain gauge in the center of the stream to get an even distribution (not at the end or close to the sprinkler). Then, run the sprinkler to measure how long it takes to accumulate ½ an inch (it could take 20 to 45 minutes). Once you've hit the ½ inch mark, you know your run time for the sprinkler.
How often to water
Water your lawn intermittently. It’s actually best to give your grass a good soak every three days than to water each day a little bit. Watering less frequently causes roots to grow down in search of water. This gives your grass strength and stability.
How to read your lawn
You can usually do a visual inspection of your lawn to tell when it is time to start watering. When you begin to see hints of brownish-grey areas appearing, you’ll want to start your watering routine. Another way is a walking test – walk across your lawn and if the foot prints lay flat and don't show signs of rebounding, then the lawn needs to be hydrated.
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