Watering
garden plants
becomes like clockwork during the summer, but when did you last give your lawn the same attention?
While occasionally
watering
our grass helps it to thrive, some bad lawn-watering habits could actually be damaging your plot, including watering at incorrect times and using the wrong sprinklers.
Take a look at the habits to avoid below:
Bad habit 1: You’re watering on a schedule
Whether or not your lawn needs watering depends on several factors: how much rainfall you’ve had, how hot it is, and whether it’s been windy.
Your
grass
type also plays a big role. Grass in the full sun would need watering more frequently than those in the shade.
It’s also worth finding out what type of grass you have: in the UK, common garden grass types include Perennial Ryegrass, Fescue (including Slender Creeping Red Fescue and Chewings Fescue), and Bentgrass (like Common Bent).
Here are a few ways to determine if your lawn needs watering:
-
Look at other plants in your yard or garden.
Are they wilted? That’s a sign the soil is dry. -
Try the poke test.
Stick a screwdriver or butter knife into the soil. If it’s hard to push in, your lawn is dry.
Bad habit 2: You’re watering too often and not deeply enough
You want to water
less frequently, but more deeply
— ideally once or twice a week. The goal is to saturate the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. How long that takes depends on your soil type and grass, but typically it ranges from 30 minutes to an hour.
To figure out how long you need to water, start with 30 minutes, then test how deep the water has penetrated. Water more if needed. Another trick: place an empty tuna can under the sprinkler — once it’s full, you’ve likely watered enough. Deep, infrequent watering encourages deep root growth and makes your lawn more resilient.
As a general rule (and this applies to many plants), it’s better to
underwater than overwater
.
Bad habit 3: You’re watering at the wrong time of day
Water first thing in the morning
— ideally before sunrise, but definitely before 9 a.m. Watering later in the day leads to more evaporation, and watering at night can cause water to sit on the grass blades, potentially encouraging fungal or bacterial diseases.
Bad habit 4: You’re using the wrong sprinkler
Now that you know how to water your lawn, let’s talk about sprinklers. If you have an irrigation system, use it wisely. Don’t let it run if it’s just rained, and make sure the sprinkler heads are functioning properly.
If you need a sprinkler, here are a few types and their best uses:
-
Impact sprinklers
are the most versatile. They’re great for both large yards and smaller areas because the spray range can be adjusted. -
Oscillating sprinklers
are ideal for square or rectangular lawns. -
Rotating sprinklers
work well for small, round areas.
