Time-of-day to water is crucial to avoid lawn fungus, wind and evaporation. There’s no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures, eg when it’s too cold or too hot to work. We have an article on watering lawns that has instructions and tips to maintaining a good lawn. Developed from a mix of native fine fescue grasses, Eco-Lawn is the most versatile low-water turf lawn variety. In summer, it’s common to water at 6:00 or 7:00 AM. There’s an easy way to tell whether you need to water your lawn during the winter months. It can also be set to run overnight or in the early morning when temperatures and winds are at the lowest levels, reducing the amount of evaporation. In many areas of the world, there is neither sufficient rainfall, nor is it adequately spaced throughout the year to sustain your lawn without supplemental water supplied by irrigation. To check the output of your sprinklers you can place several tuna or cat food cans out on the lawn and run your sprinklers for 15 minutes. 1. For example, if we have temperatures in the low 80’s for a few days to a week then you know you should water two to three times a week. Changes in light, food and watering techniques always carry the risk of having an adverse effect on a plant. Do not water when snow or ice is present, even if temperatures are above 40℉. In regions with cold winters and heavy snowfall, stop watering in mid-November. If you water your grass during the winter, it will come back stronger, greener, and fuller in spring. The sprinklers should run for about 30 minutes every 3 days. Early morning is very the best and safest time to water your lawn. In these early hours of day the environment is most favorable for watering because the temperature is cooler with less chances of evaporation of heat. The result can include the spread of fungal disease like Red Thread, the shallow rooting of grass, the onset of moss, and the infestation of weeds and weed grasses.. This is the best time to water lawn in hot weather and even in different climate such as the dry and cold climate. Watering the grass just before low temperatures hit can help protect it from frost damage. Rain in the winter might not be sufficient to keep your grass healthy, requiring you to water it periodically. Watering at any time of day is better than not watering at all. Aerate your lawn. Watering in the morning is key to the health of your grass. The more shallow your grass roots are, the less hearty it will be in hot weather. Water a day or two before the cold temperatures arrive to give the moisture time to soak into the roots. This will prevent frozen topsoil and roots, which allows your grass to continue to take in nutrients even during a cold snap. By early November, most lawn care chores and activities are completed; lawn mowers are put away, watering has ended, hoses are drained and stored for the winter, irrigation systems have been blown out and winterized and, the last, late season nitrogen fertilizer has been put down. One last shot at lawn improvement can be done even yet this fall. Watering in the morning gives the roots more time to absorb water while allowing some evaporation to clean off the blades. Check the amount of water that has collected in the cans. Use watering systems that stay close to the ground. Water ordinary grasses deeply once or twice per week, if needed. In climates where frost or snow is very light and infrequent, lawn grass may need occasional mowing during the … Subtract any precipitation from your lawn’s watering needs to avoid overwatering. Never water when frost is present on your lawn. My Lawn. Watering Tips for Established Lawns: Water deeply and infrequently. Watering Basics for Established Lawns. If you water less than 24 hours before a freeze, water present on grass blades may freeze, turning your lawn into an ice rink and potentially killing grass. On the other hand, applying water that penetrates much deeper than 6 to 8 inches is wasteful because most grass roots don’t grow longer than that. Daytime temperatures around 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit typically mean the soil temperature is between 50 and 65 degrees and perfect for seed germination. Morning, around 6 to 8 a.m., is the best time to water. Watering my lawn an additional 12 times for a total of 30 minutes each time quadrupled my water usage in one month! The time of day when you water the grass is also important. This is one reason why automatic irrigation systems come in handy. If your grass is vigorously growing, you might need a bit more, such as 1 inch per week. Many people set their sprinklers to come on every other day, for ten to twenty minutes per zone all season long. Plants are finicky. During the heat of summer, your yard, especially a fescue lawn, will require more water. If you must water in the evening, try between 4 and 6 p.m. which should give the grass blades time to dry before nightfall. Depending on the species of lawn grass you are growing and your local climate, lawn grass will either go into dormancy when temperatures drop, or slow its growth rate considerably. Cold-season grasses, such as fescue, enter dormancy when soil temperatures reach 50℉ (10℃). Rain might supply some of this need, but water it yourself when necessary to make up the difference. Unfortunately, as simple as lawn watering is in practice, many lawn owners get it wrong. Water just before sunrise while the grass is wet with dew to deter diseases. The sprinkler number is 0.3 inches. Set a timer to water your lawn overnight for half an hour every three hours. Periods of drought, even if in the winter, can cause the roots to dry up and sometimes die. Research shows that watering at night before the dew forms, or in the morning after the dew has already dried, makes your lawn more susceptible to disease. When to Fertilize After Thatching a Lawn? For a fresh, green, healthy-looking lawn in the spring, don’t allow anyone to walk on the grass when it is covered with heavy frost or ice. Refer to our complete tips on Watering New Sod. Best Times of Day to Water Your Lawn in Hot, Dry Weather? Watering everyday makes grass roots shallow. When the temperature is below 40℉ (4℃), it is too cold to water grass. During working hours the temperature in all indoor workplaces must be reasonable. Another benefit of watering at this time is low wind so there is less deviation of water from the target. Warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda and St. Augustine, enter dormancy when soil temperatures reach 55℉ (12℃). It is a tactic specifically meant to protect new grass seedlings during out-of-season cold snaps. Once established, you can almost forget about it: it doesn’t require regular mowing to stay green, and only needs to be watered during extremely dry periods, if at all. If average temperatures remain above the mid-40's, you can water your lawn on a weekly basis, applying whatever is necessary to bring the total amount of water to one-inch per week. Remember watering the lawn at night is a bad idea. Even those who live in cooler climates aren't off the hook. Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Fall Lawn Care Tips, High Plains/Midwest Ag Journal: Avoiding Damage to Plants During Spring Frosts, Freezes. Early morning watering reduces loss to wind and evaporation, and allows water to soak in before sunlight heats the soil. Different grasses flourish at different times of year, experiencing seasonal growth spurts in response to either warm or cold weather. Run sprinklers in winter only when temperatures are above 40℉. However, as we have seen, there is usually no need to water your lawn at this time because rains bring enough water. As long as temperatures are above 40℉, watering can have the following positive effects on your lawn: Watering during winter is also less expensive than summer watering. Fill out the inputs below to determine how long to water and get the best out of your lawn. A single frost is harmless to mature grass, but can kill young grass outright, so preventing frost formation is essential to keeping new grass alive. Watering During A Freeze to Protect New Grass, What to Do After Aerating Your Lawn [5 Essential Tips], Overseeding St. Augustine With Bermuda: What You Need To Know, How To Stop Weeds From Growing In Mulch [9 Fast And Effective Tips]. So a.m. is the ideal time for watering your yard. You’ll have to watch the weather and your garden and perhaps do a little research to help decide what’s best for your own lawn. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to water temperature when watering … Mornings are best and most effective periods because evaporation at this time is low due to cooler temperatures and water is never wasted since all water sprayed focuses on the target grass as there is less wind to help it deviate from target. Forget the showers, dishes, drinking tap water, the laundry, the toilet flushing, it was all relatively insignificant in comparison. Watering in the morning (before 10 a.m.) is the best time for your lawn; it’s cooler and winds tend to be calmer so water can soak into the soil and be absorbed by the grass roots before it can evaporate. A meaningful figure cannot be given at the upper end of the scale due to the high temperatures found in, for example, glass works or foundries. You might consider summer as the time for watering the lawn, but don't think you can stop watering grass in the fall. The later you water, the greater chance of disease becoming prevalent in your lawn. Determine aeration frequency based on soil type and lawn traffic. Also, water releases heat more slowly than plant tissues, helping the blades retain heat longer than if they were dehydrated. It’s better for the lawn to water heavily and less frequently, than to lightly mist it every day. The result can include the spread of fungal disease like Red Thread, the shallow rooting of grass, the onset of moss, and the infestation of weeds and weed grasses.. This tactic is best used to prevent damage to new grass from a rare frosty night in early fall or late spring. When the temperature reaches the 90’s or gets to the 100 zone, you need to raise your mowing height. Use your sprinkler number and the lawn watering weather information to determine efficient run times. Cold weather calls for about 1/2 inch on most lawns -- not as much is lost to evaporation, so even cold-season grasses don't need as much. Proper watering is one of the most important factors in making a lawn beautiful. The rule of thumb for lawns is to water one-inch deep each time you water. If there is a freeze on the forecast, water no less than 24 hours before the freeze arrives. Temperature requirements for a good green lawn. This is because the leaves lose water faster than can be absorbed through the root system. When the weather gets hot and dry, many people get the hosepipe out and water their lawns.. Cold-season grasses, such as fescue, enter dormancy when soil temperatures reach 50℉ (10℃). In winter, your lawn only needs about ½ inch of water. Should You Water Your Grass When It’s Cold? Don’t water everyday. Water from your sprinklers may turn to ice, which can destroy grass blades and kill the grass. If used night after night, the excess water will drown your grass and potentially harm your yard. Mother Nature provides your lawn with water so that we will not need to use irrigation. In regions with mild winters, reduce watering to ½ inch per week when the grass stops growing and begins to go dormant. If you try to water your lawn during these times, most of it absolutely will be evaporated before your grass and plants can soak it in and benefit from it. Your lawn needs much less water in May when the temperatures might be in the 60’s or 70’s as opposed to July or August when temperatures can be in the high 80’s or 90’s for several days. Water your lawn between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m., whenever possible. Pepper’s Home and Garden is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In summer, your lawn needs about an inch of water per week. When To Dethatch Bermuda Grass and How Often Should You Do It? We are fortunate in the UK that prolonged periods of extremes in temperature are very rare because the indigenous grasses are not adapted to cope with them for sustained periods. Extended dry periods during cold winter months can damage or kill grass. How To Water Your Lawn in The Summer Heat. Watering grass in cold temperatures can greatly improve your lawn’s health. Watering grass even in colder weather is necessary. In regions with mild winters, reduce watering to ½ inch per week when the grass stops growing and begins to go dormant. A two degree Fahrenheit (one-degree centigrade) rise in temperature doubles a grass blade’s growth rate by stimulating metabolic processes in the grass. Due to grass dormancy and reduced heat evaporation, winter grass requires half the water summer grasses do. There is an alternative to watering 24 hours before freezing that should be used sparingly. Arcing sprinklers waste more water than systems with low trajectories. 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