How Often Should You Water Your Lawn This Summer?
The sun is starting to come out in full strength, which means your grass will start growing green, healthy, and strong!
That is, of course, assuming you give it the care that it needs. The most important thing is to make sure that you’re watering your lawn enough. But how much is enough? Is there such a thing as too much? And what are the best methods to water it?
Here, we will answer all of your summer irrigation queries to make sure that you give your grass the care, attention, and hydration it deserves!
How often should you water your lawn?
While grass might seem like the simplest plant to have in your garden, it’s actually pretty needy when it comes to water.
Of course, how much rain you’re experiencing will change the frequency of your own watering efforts, but your grass should receive between 1 and 1.5 inches of water every week.
The best way to ensure you’re doing this is to give it about ⅓ inch of water every other day. This is enough to help the roots grow deeper and make your grass more resistant to drought.
When’s the best time to water?
It’s not just about how much water you use, either. The time of day in which you water your lawn is also important. When the sun is out, the heat and light can cause water to evaporate before it reaches the roots of your grass, which means that your grass isn’t getting hydrated.
As such, it’s best to water when the sun isn’t too high in the sky, with early morning (around 8-9 am) being the best time. Some people will wait until evening, but this increases the chance of attracting pests and lawn disease, which are more active at that time.
What happens if you don’t water enough?
You want to make sure that you’re watering your lawn with the frequency that it demands. If it hasn’t rained in a while, you might even want to do it more frequently.
If you start to see patches of brown on your lawn, it’s a clear sign that you need to hydrate them more than you have been. Unfortunately, this can start to spread and cause your grass to die. You’ll end up with big patches of empty dirt, more weeds than grass, or you’ll just have to replant your lawn altogether.
However, if your soil starts to lack water, it can become compacted, making it less able to sustain life. Even replanting can become a difficulty in this situation.
Can you water too much?
While you definitely don’t want to water your lawn too little, there is certainly such a thing as too much.
If the soil and grass are squishy after you’ve watered them, there’s a good chance you’ve used too much. Overly moist soil can cause a range of problems. You can literally drown your grass, causing it to die in patches where the water is most concentrated.
Overly wet soil also attracts moss and weeds, which start competing with your grass, covering it and draining the nutrients that should be going to it. Overwatered lawns can be fixed, such as by aerating your garden, but you’ll want to avoid needing to do this in the first place.
The best way to handle lawn irrigation
If you want to make sure you’re watering your lawn enough, but not too much, and that you’re doing it as often as it needs, then a good lawn irrigation installation is what you need.
Rather than getting up every morning to water it yourself, trying to judge how much water is appropriate, you can simply turn on an irrigation system to ensure that your lawn gets as much water as it needs.
Many modern irrigation systems come automated, meaning you don’t have to overthink the process. You can also simply adjust the system based on how often it rains in the area.
If you need lawn irrigation services, then Summit Landscape Inc. is here to help. Take a closer look at our lawn irrigation installation services and get in touch if you think you could use them in your garden!