April Showers Bring May Flowers
That is what we have learned since we were a child. But what happens if we live in an area that doesn’t get a lot of rain? Or, in general how do we know when we should start watering our lawns? Those are questions we are going to answer for you! Be sure to check out some of the tips on sprinklers and timers here as well!
When is it Time to Start Watering?
This is an interesting one. An answer we found to be an eye-opener and feel many need to learn more about, especially if you’re just getting into lawn care looking to get your lawn to that next level.
There is a lot of information out there on this subject, most of which can be confusing. What we found interesting are what some of the University extensions had to say on the matter:
- Iowa State University Extension: Recommends waiting until summer when the lawn looks like it is about to start wilting and then begin your watering.
- Kansas State University Extension: Recommends to hold off as long as you can before you start watering usually starting in June or July.
- Penn State Extension: Provides similar information as stated above.
Ok, so we’re just supposed to wait to water our lawns until it looks like it needs it…So, what does that even mean? Given the many different hardiness zones in the US alone, this obviously happens at different times for each area.
Here are a few things to look out for as signs to begin watering your lawn:
- Leaf blades can turn a blue/purple color
- Footprints may last longer (grass blade leafs without sufficient water will stay bent longer)
- Leaf blades of grass are rolled or folded
These are different from a lawn going into summer dormancy, as many grass types naturally do for protection. If your lawn has passed the stages above and into dormancy, it is best to let the lawn do its thing at this point and to avoid putting any fertilizers on it, as it will likely only do more harm than good.
How Much Water Should A Lawn Receive?
Generally speaking, it is recommended that you give your lawn 0.5”- 1.0” of water per week. This depends on multiple factors including the type of grass you have, the weather, and any additional elemental considerations that may impact how water is received.
If it rains, know how much rain you received from a rain gauge and subtract from your goal amount. If doing this consistently, some weeks you might not need to water your lawn at all thanks to Mother Nature.
The type of grass is also heavily dependent on how much water is considered the right amount for your lawn:
| Lawn type | Green Turf | Dormant Turf |
| Perennial ryegrass | 1.5 inches of water per week | 1.0 inches of water per week |
| Kentucky bluegrass | 1.2 inches of water per week | 0.7 inches of water per week |
| Tall fescue | 0.8 inches of water per week | 0.5 inches of water per week |
Other elemental considerations may include wind, drought conditions, etc.
How to Know How Much a Lawn is Being Watered
You’re most likely using some sort of sprinkler or irrigation system. In this case, the easiest way is to calibrate your system.
“Calibration” of a system is much easier than it sounds. In fact, it’s one of the easiest things you can do in a lawn care program.
Grab some rain/water measuring tools like mini rain gauges or empty tuna cans. Spread them out over the lawn where you wish to irrigate. Turn your sprinklers on and start timing until you see 0.5” of water in the gauge/tuna can.
If it takes 30 minutes to get 0.5” of water in the gauge/tuna can, we know that we can set that zone/area for 30 minutes each time we run the sprinklers to ensure we get 0.5” of water to that area. If our goal is to get this area 1” of water each week, we know that we need to water twice for 30 minutes, excluding any elemental factors such as wind, etc.
Example #1:
If a sprinkler delivers 1/4 inch of water in 45 minutes, then how much water does it apply in 1 hour (60 minutes)?
0.25 inch ÷ 45 minutes = X inches ÷ 60 minutes
(0.25 inch x 60 minutes) ÷ 45 minutes = 0.33 inch per hour
An alternative approach would be to measure the area that your sprinkler pattern covers and the length of time it takes to fill a one-gallon container directly from the sprinkler. Example 2 describes how to calculate your water application rate using this approach.
Example #2:
If a sprinkler takes 1 minute and 13 seconds (73 seconds) to discharge 1 gallon of water, then how many gallons of water can it discharge in 1 hour (3,600 seconds)?
1 gallon ÷ 73 seconds = X gallons ÷ 3,600 seconds
(1 gallon x 3,600 seconds) ÷ 73 seconds = 49 gallons in 1 hour
If 49 gallons of water is applied to 235 square feet per hour, then how many gallons are applied to 1,000 square feet in 1 hour?
49 gallon ÷ 235 square feet = X gallons ÷ 1,000 square feet
(49 gallons x 1,000 square feet) ÷ 235 square feet = 208 gallons per 1,000 square feet
How Often Should We Water?
While 0.5”-1.0” is a general rule of thumb and range for grasses, each grass type requires a different amount of water. Sprinkle in the age of the grass itself and we have some other factors to consider.
Use the below as a guide to make sure you’re pointed in the right direction:
- Established grass: Water deep and infrequent. We are wanting the grass roots to search for water and grow deep. Shallow watering promotes shallow roots which will hurt your lawn when it gets hot.
- New seed: Water daily, 3-4 times a day- enough to keep seed bed moist, but not saturated. Soil should be wet 1-2” down. Once seedlings reach 1-2” in height, begin to decrease watering. Once the seed has been mowed 2-3 times, move to a deep and infrequent watering schedule used for established turf grasses.
- New Sod: Water 1-2 times a day. Start watering as soon as sod is laid. The amount of water should be enough to moisten the sod, plus the soil under the sod, without flooding the area. You can lift a section or two to check if this is occurring and adjust watering accordingly. After the sod has been mowed 1-2 times, decrease watering and move to a deep and infrequent watering scheduled used for established turf grasses.
What is the Best Time to Water?
We recommend watering in the early morning hours to avoid any risk of water evaporation or exposure to conditions to promote disease.
- Highest risk for evaporation is between 10:00am and 3:00pm when the sun and air temperatures are at their highest point.
- Medium risk for evaporation is after 3:00pm because soil conditions have not yet had a chance to cool down for ideal watering.
- Lowest risk of evaporation is early morning hours (4am-9am) in normal conditions because the sun has set, ground temperatures have cooled, leaving us with optimal watering settings.
- Generally, external factors such as wind will have calmed down in addition to the above.
Get a timer that hooks up to your hose and program it. Cancel watering when rain is in the forecast and adjust timing to what is needed for your areas.
Sprinkler Timers:
What Types of Sprinklers are Best?
Coming from a group of DIY’ers themselves, we’ve had experiences with just about all of the types of sprinklers listed below. It will be hard to convince us that there is a “best” sprinkler on the market — Because we’ve been able to create healthy lawns via the DIY method just fine.
That’s not to say there aren’t more convenient options for each scenario – So, the “best” sprinkler, or sprinkler system, will be heavily dependent on is best suited for you.
Here are the different types of sprinkler systems and a few of the brands with exploring under each category:
- Impact- Shoots water out in a pulsating action. There is an adjustable paddle that will break up the stream and disperses the water.
- Examples:
- Rotary head- Most commonly used for irrigation systems. You can get one for your space with a ground spike and create your own above ground irrigation system. There is a rotary tool that adjusts how far the stream shoots and type of stream.
- Adjustment Tool:
- Oscillating– Delivers water in a rectangular pattern. Disperses most water at the sprinkler head. Difficult to achieve and even water pattern. Wind can affect the stream easier with these.
- Hoses & Accessories : Unless you have an in-ground system, you’ll need a delivery method to get the water from your house to the area you need to irrigate. Below are some of the hoses and accessories with the highest Amazon ratings to make your life easier:
