5 Tips for Watering Your Lawn

Guest article provided by our friends at Orbit, a leading manufacturer of irrigation supplies for homeowners and experts on watering your lawn.

Here are the top five watering tips to keep your lawn in good shape this summer. These are generally accepted practices, so start with these suggested guidelines and adjust to your specific climate and landscape.

1. Water at the right time

Ideally, water between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m. because your lawn will have the whole day to dry. Avoid watering between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. as it’s the hottest part of the day and can cause a third of your water to evaporate. Also, avoid watering in the evening, as lawns left wet overnight are more susceptible to diseases.

2. Use the right amount of water

As a rule, apply a half an inch of water twice a week. Set out empty tuna cans and time how long it takes to fill them up. Then set your timer. Applying water too rapidly causes runoff, as grass can absorb only so much water at a time. Overwatering your lawn is bad for its health, causing fungus growth and other diseases.

3. Know your soil type

Your lawn’s soil can affect how you go about watering your lawn. A clay-based soil does not absorb water as quickly as sandy soil. Performing a soil test on your lawn can help determine a better watering schedule.

4. Use the right type of sprinkler

Oscillating sprinklers are vulnerable to evaporation and wind. Pulsating sprinklers dispense water horizontally at high velocity, reducing wind or evaporation loss. A pulsating sprinkler is a good choice for older, mature lawns. If you have new grass, you’ll want to use an oscillating sprinkler so new grass seed won’t get pushed around.

5. Give Your Lawn Time to Soak It In

Watering your lawn for more than 30 minutes will cause puddles to collect and much of the excess water will run off. If you water your lawn for 30 minutes, give it roughly the same amount of time to soak in the water and absorb it properly.

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