How and When to Water Your Lawn
February 14th, 2009Like most people I do not have a lot of spare time but I do however like to make the time to put into making my lawn look green and healthy. Apart from the fact that a well maintained and presentable lawn can add value to your home, a nice lawn is a pleasure to come home to after a hard days work. Not being an experienced gardener I decided to do some research on when to water your lawn to get the best results and avoid wasting valuable time.
Firstly you need to find out if there are any water restrictions in your area and abide by those rules since in some places around the world, water is in short supply. If water supply is restricted you will just have to do the best you can with your lawn within those parameters set by your local council.
When you water your lawn the water needs to penetrate the surface of the ground and feed the grass roots. To feed the roots it is important to give your lawn a longer and deeper watering less often than frequent shallow waterings. Your lawn will respond better, look greener and remain healthier given a deep solid watering twice per week than a light shallow watering every day. Shallow watering only encourages the top parts of the roots to grow and without root depth your lawn will be weak and easily susceptible to disease and drought conditions.
Heavy or deep watering promotes strong, healthy root growth that can better withstand longer periods of dry or drought conditions. The deeper the grass roots the faster your grass will come back to life after a succession of hot, dry days during the summer months.
You can check to see how far the roots go down by digging a small hole and measuring the root depth. Different grasses should go down between six to twelve inches. If the water can penetrate to the depth of the roots you should be able to maintain a healthy lawn for most of the year.
There is no need to overwater your lawn or water it when it does not need a drink. Overwatering does not help the grass and it can lead to types of lawn fungus in some cases. You can tell if your lawn needs a drink by simply looking at it. If it looks pale or has a hint of bluish grey it probably needs a deep soaking. When it looks lush, green and vibrant you could probably leave it for a few days.
How much water your lawn needs will depend primarily on your soil type. If your soil is sandy it will absorb water much more rapidly and flow deeper into the ground than loamy or denser clay soils which absorb water at a slower rate. Through trial and error over time you will eventually see how much water your type of lawn needs.
The best time to water your lawn is most definitely in the early morning before the strong sun comes out. Ideally between the hours of 5am to 9am you will find the water will penetrate the surface instead of evaporating before it reaches the grass roots where it needs to be to promote healthy growth.
Watering your lawn in the evening is not as ideal as watering in the early morning since it can encourage lawn diseases however sometimes you might not have time to water in the morning. On occasions if your lawn is looking pale and dry it is better to give it an evening drink than no drink at all if you have limited time in the morning.
Aerating your lawn once or twice per year with a hand aerator or by using a garden fork is a healthy way to allow water to filter down to the roots more easily and reduces the chances of wasting water due to run off. Especially aerate some of those problem patches of lawn to get the grass growing in those areas.
As you get to know your lawn through watering practices you will soon know when it is thirsty and needs a drink. I find spending time working on my lawn to be both relaxing and therapeutic. Your lawn is a living thing and needs your time and patience to thrive through the seasons, happy gardening.
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