Usually nature will provide enough water through seasonal rainfall to ensure your lawn grows nice and strong. That said, there are times when rainfall isn’t quite enough and your lawn needs a little extra help. This is particularly prevalent during times of extended drought and heat or when a new lawn has been installed. While water is essential to the life of your lawn, too much and too little can both cause harm. Never leave the sprinkler running all night – you’re just creating perfect conditions for disease to take hold. Always aim for less frequent but deep watering to encourage a deep and strong root system.
Which leads to the next issue; when to water? When you water your lawn during the heat of the day you’re not doing much more than pouring time, money and water down the drain – evaporation and wind means that not much of the water applied actually gets to where it needs to be. So that’s usually 11am – 3pm out.
Watering at night runs the risk of mildew and fungus – but in a pinch 4-7pm is often fine. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning- after the dew has evaporated but before the heat of the day sets in. So, aim to water between 6-10am.
When you do water your lawn, you should apply about 2.5cms of water over the entire lawn. Before you water though, check the weather forecast and ensure that there’s no rain predicted in the next few days. You should never be watering more than once or twice a week. If a heat wave is on the cards, a drink won’t hurt, in fact, it will give the lawn a bit of a boost in order to better deal with the higher temperatures on the way.
For more tips and insights on lawn care, see the Daleys Turf blogs or contact the team. We’re here to support you for the life of your lawn.
Nice post!