Lawn Watering – How Often Should You Water The Lawn

Summary: Lawn watering with an underground sprinkler system using lawn watering timers running things or simply a sprinkler that is moved around. Both watering systems need to have a lawn watering schedule in place to apply the correct amount of water required for the lawn to thrive.

Question: How often should I water my lawn? We recently installed a lawn sprinkler system and need a few watering tips. We have an irrigation controller and watering timer and need to set up the lawn watering schedule and zone frequency for watering the lawn. Can you give some guidelines? Art, Burke, VA

Answer: Art, the best lawn watering advice I can provide is to – Water when necessary.

Grass does not require daily, weekly or monthly watering. This is not to say you should never water the lawn.

During periods of hot weather and drought you will most likely need to turn on the sprinkler system to supply some water to the lawn that nature does not supply. But, it is best to water when the grass and lawn needs it and when watering… give it a very thorough soaking.

How Can You Tell When Grass Is “Thirsty”?

You tell grass is “thirsty” and in need of water… When it starts to wilt OR When the soil is dry.

During dry weather or exceptionally hot times, do some visual checking to see if the grass is wilting. When the grass begins to get limp or looking tired, apply water or flip on the irrigation system. Another good test is to do a quick “soil moisture test.” Take something like a knife and push the blade into the soil 5 -6 inches. If the blade comes out shiny and dry… it is time to water.

2 Rules of Lawn Watering

When watering a lawn there are 2 simple, basic rules to follow:

• When you water the lawn – water it thoroughly. This means soaking the ground and soil to a depth of about 4-6 inches
• Only apply water as fast as the ground can absorb it

The only time any type of “light sprinkling” is done on a lawn is when seed is first put down, where it would be watered lightly.

If a lawn is established, giving a light sprinkling only encourages the root system of the grass to develop near the surface. Where thorough and deep watering helps the root system to push down deeper and develop stronger roots.

The “deeper root system” allows the grass to absorb more water and nutrients. A deep rooted lawn is usually a healthy lawn can better withstand seasons of drought. Where a shallow rooted grass will fade when tested by weather extremes.

The Job of Lawn Watering

Watering the lawn should be a simple task. With so many sprinklers on the market and flip of a switch or turn of a value should be the only effort required.

Sprinklers make the task of lawn watering simple, efficient and effective.

Sprinklers allow water to be applied only as fast as it can soak into the ground.

When setting up your lawn watering zones, I would first run everything manually. You want to put down about 1 inch of water per hour as that is about what most soils can adsorb in 1 hour’s time.

To determine how much water is actually being applied, put some cans down in the sprinkler’s water pattern to catch the water and see how much is applied in 1 hour.

Then make the adjustments and set your lawn watering schedule and frequency for each zone so that each watering zone gets no more than 1 inch of water per hour, which should moisten the soil to a depth of 3 – 4 inches. To thoroughly water the sprinklers may need to be run in each zone for about 2 hours.

Avoid all flooding.

What we mean by the term “flooding” is when water is applied so fast that the water runs off the grass. Some would suggest this would be considered “thoroughly watered” but it is not. The soil can only “drink up” water so fast depending on the soil make up. Excess water runs off and is wasted.

To be successful in lawn watering just remember the 2 rules: When you water the lawn – water it thoroughly and only apply water as fast as the ground can absorb it.