Experts Say You Should Never Water Your Lawn at These Times
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A lush, green lawn is a classic symbol of the suburban American ideal, much like a picket fence and golden retriever puppies. Although low-maintenance landscaping ideas such as chaos gardening, rewilding, and clover lawns have gained popularity this year, traditional sod and standard grasses remain the most common choices. However, maintaining a healthy lawn, especially during the hot summer months, can be challenging. Knowing the best time to water your lawn is crucial to avoid browning and dry patches.
Just like houseplants, grass can suffer from dry spells, overwatering, and poor moisture retention. To help you create an effective watering plan, we spoke with Steve Peeler, internal agronomist at Simple Lawn Solutions and MLB Field Manager for the Atlanta Braves. He provided key tips on the best time to water your lawn and proper watering techniques to keep it healthy. Read on to learn the best practices for watering your lawn and solving issues like brown patches and standing water.
The Best Time to Water Your Lawn
To get the most out of any irrigation method, it's important to ensure your grass actually soaks up the moisture. In the summer, Peeler says that the best time to water your lawn is between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m.
“Evapotranspiration, or the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere, happens less during these hours, and the grass benefits more from irrigation during this timeframe,” he says. This allows the lawn to absorb as much water as it needs before the sun is high in the sky and evaporation happens quickly.
When You Should Never Water Your Lawn
Monitoring your soil's moisture levels should dictate the best time to water your lawn. Anytime the lawn has received an inch or more of water, either through watering or heavy rain, you should adjust your schedule to avoid overwatering.
Overwatering can also contribute to standing water on the lawn's surface, says Peeler. If you notice any standing water, muddy patches, or mushrooms in your lawn, you should avoid watering more (at least in that specific area), until the water absorbs. “Soils should drain between six inches and 24 inches per hour to ensure standing water is reduced and eliminated,” Peeler says.
Conversely, you should also never water your lawn in the afternoons or during extreme heat waves or droughts—this is because the water will evaporate before the grass has a chance to absorb it, leading to wasted water. You should also abstain from watering your lawn whenever your city or state has enacted water usage regulations.
What to Consider Before Watering Your Lawn
Soil Type
“Proper soil particle size determines if the soil will drain or not,” says Peeler. “Sandy soils will require the most water, while clay soils require less frequent, but deeper watering because they retain more moisture. The soil absorption rate (how much water your soil will hold) dictates how often and the overall watering amount needed for grass survival.”
This process may require some trial and error. You can always use a moisture gauge to become better acquainted with your soil's moisture retention level.
Grass Type
There are varieties of both cool-season and warm-season grasses that are drought-tolerant, meaning that they require less water to stay healthy. Sod and non-native grasses, however, need more water than native grasses and wildflower lawns because they aren't naturally adapted to the region's climate.
Sun Exposure
If your lawn receives bright, direct sunlight all day long, you'll need to water your lawn more than if your outdoor space is shaded. If your lawn receives a mix of sunlight and shade, focus your watering efforts on the bright sun patches and less on the shaded areas as overwatering can lead to puddles, mud, and standing water.
“Creating loose space within the soil via aeration and Liquid Soil Loosener and topdressing with topsoil or sand will help your grass actually absorb the water you provide,” says Peeler. “Dense, packed soil can slow or prevent water absorption, leading to standing water.”
The Best Method for Watering Your Lawn
Peeler recommends automatic irrigation (aka a sprinkler system) as the best watering method for watering your lawn.
“The water droplets are distributed more evenly and provide overall coverage,” Peeler says. “Manual sprinklers are great to use if monitored on a strict schedule. Localized dry spots or 'hot spots' can be hydrated with the hose by hand-watering.”
Lawn Watering FAQs
How Can You Avoid a Patchy, Dry Lawn?
Disease and insect activity are more likely to be the main culprits that cause patchy, thin grass in both summer and winter, says Peeler. Be sure to follow a pest control program throughout the year, because prevention is key. If needed, Peeler recommends fertilizing with a starter fertilizer and reseeding the patchy areas in spring or fall for cool-season grass and late spring for warm-season grass.
Can Watering Revive a Dry Lawn?
In most cases, watering can revive a dry lawn, Peeler says. However, homeowners should make sure that water is the root cause of the patchiness and browning. If your lawn is experiencing insect damage or disease, water alone will not be able to reverse the damage.
How Can You Save Water When Watering Your Lawn?
To save water with a sprinkler system, Peeler recommends regularly adjusting the irrigation spray patterns to minimize overspray and runoff. Adhering to the one- to two-inch depth of irrigation—the amount of water that needs to be administered to reach an inch below the surface—also saves water, as does deep and infrequent irrigation.
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