Do you look at your lawn and see a lush green carpet? Or is it more of a patchy, dry expanse?

Like all plants, if your lawn is to survive, it needs the right balance of four things: sunlight, air, nutrients, and water. This post will walk you through how often to water a lawn and more! Put down the garden hose and read on!

How Often to Water a Lawn

The short answer: The grass in your established lawn needs 1 to 1.5 inches of water 1 or 2 times a week. A newly seeded or sodded lawn needs more frequent watering. Gently water 1 to 2 times a day to keep the top couple of inches of soil moist.

Cool season grasses like rye, bluegrass, and fescue need regular watering until the first frost sets in. Warm season grasses like zoysia, St. Augustine, and Bermuda require less water when it’s cool but more water in the scorching heat of summer.

How to Water a Lawn

The most important part of watering your lawn is making sure that every zone gets enough water. If you’re using a sprinkler system, occasionally watch your sprinklers run. Make sure the sprinklers are running correctly and not consistently missing certain patches.

If you’re using a hose to water your lawn, be patient. Pop on your favorite music or an audiobook so you’re not tempted to rush through your lawn watering.

If you find that you can’t get your lawn to grow the way you want it to, call in a pro. Lawn care experts (like the ones at whenappearancematters.com) have the tools and knowledge needed to resurrect any lawn.

Best Time to Water Your Lawn

The best time to water your lawn is when it’s cool. This most often falls between 4 and 6 a.m., and certainly before 10 a.m. Watering when it’s cool increases the chances that the water reaches the roots before it evaporates.

If you miss the morning window, water between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Try to avoid watering late at night. The moisture can sit on the grass and make it more prone to disease.

Can You Over Water a Lawn? 

Yes! If your lawn gets too much water it prevents the roots from getting the oxygen they need. Too much water also encourages lawn disease.

To measure how much water your grass gets, clean out a tuna can. It is about 1 inch tall. Lay it in the grass and let your hose or sprinkler systems run.

If your watering cycle fills the can halfway, then you’ll want to run your sprinklers at least twice a week.

Let it Flow

With some love and some patience, you can get your lawn to thrive. Now that you know how often to water a lawn, you can make any needed changes to your watering routine.

If you’re looking for more home care tips, check out the rest of our blog today!