How Much And How Often Should You Water Your Lawn?

How Much And How Often Should You Water Your Lawn?

All too often people water their lawns more than they require. This results in all sorts of diseases, insects, and thatch in the lawn and other situations that can readily be avoided. If you have a lawn, you’ll want to learn how to properly water your lawn and focus on keeping it healthy so that you can have a nice-looking yard. These tips should help you to keep it nicely watered.

Choose The Right Type Of Grass For Your Region

Different types of grass have different watering requirements. You’ll want to select a grass that is well adapted to the region in which you live. If you’re in a region that gets a lot of heat and hot sun you’ll want something that is drought-tolerant and won’t require excessive watering to maintain its look.

If you choose the wrong type of grass you risk having a brown yard, diseases, thatch and a swarm of insects that are going to be feeding off of the decaying materials off of your grass. There are typically several different types of grass that work well for each region. Ask your garden specialist if you have any questions.

Keep It Manageable

Don’t plant large areas of grass if you’re not going to be able to maintain it. Keep it small enough that you can maintain it and let the rest of your yard host plants that are native to the region and will fill in.  Large areas require more watering time, more water, and more maintenance. It can be a lot of work to keep up with a large yard.

You’ll save a lot of water and your yard will look lovely framed by native plants to the area. You’ll be able to keep it watered to the right degree and your friends and neighbors are going to be envious of your lovely, lush yard. If it’s too much to do in one mowing, you likely need to cut back on the yard area and fill it in with other plants.

Know When To Water

Don’t water in the middle of the day when the sun is at its peak. Choose the proper watering time for your area. Typically, early in the morning before the heat of the day is the ideal time to water. This allows you to give your yard plenty of water and then for the yard to dry out and is the best solutions for dying grass.

Avoid watering at night when the temperatures will drop, and the water won’t evaporate as quickly. This can cause areas to begin to rot and you’ll lose your precious green yard.

Measure Your Water

Use a rain gauge to measure how much water you’re using. As soon as the water begins to run off it’s time to shut the water off. If this is fifteen minutes after you turned on the water, then turn the water off at 13 or 14 minutes.

Learn to read the rain gauge and only allow your yard to be watered when it truly needs it. For most yards, this will be every other day or every third day. Some days you may need to water longer than others to achieve the optimal amount of water for your yard.

Mowing

While it doesn’t seem like mowing has anything to do with watering, it really does. The length of your grass can determine how fast your grass is going to lose moisture. Don’t cut the grass if it’s too hot.

You’ll also want to make sure that you cut your grass at only the recommended height for your specific type of grass. Taller grass will cool and shade the ground which reduces the moisture loss if there is a drought. It will stay greener if it’s taller so avoid cutting it too short. Each type of grass has a different level or height that is best suited for its own specific needs.

In-Ground Sprinklers

Most people turn them on and forget them. They mistakenly allow them to run for longer periods of time than they should. If you do have them, set them for early in the morning, make sure that they’re all aimed at the yard and not out into the street. Set them on a timer to keep them under 15 minutes.

If you don’t have them, consider just using your hose and setting a sprinkler out that you move every fifteen minutes or so. It will give you a bit of exercise and keep your yard looking nicer.

On Demand

Consider only watering when your yard is dry. Some seasons this may only be once a week and other seasons it may be every other day. Check the soil and only water when you need to.

Only water areas that are dry and areas that don’t need more water can be left unwatered until they require water. If the grass is looking gray or brown, it’s likely time to water.

Night Watering

Many people don’t have time to water in the morning before work. If you’re one of these, consider watering between 4:00 pm and 6:00 pm so that your lawn has plenty of time to dry out before nightfall.

Set a timer or make sure that you’re keeping an eye on the yard to ensure that you’re not overwatering it and that it isn’t flooding. Using the right type of grass for the right regions will go far in helping you to have a lovely lawn at all times.

Your yard is resilient if you mess up and over water or underwater, chances are that you can turn it around quickly. Grass will often turn brown and go dormant in an effort to save itself. With a good rain, it will turn back around and quickly green up.

Focus on timing, measuring the water levels and choosing the right type of grass for your region and you’ll have a nice green lawn. Allow other plants to fill in around the yard and it will give it a more natural appearance and you’ll save a lot of money on your water bill.

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