High temperatures can be brutal on your lawn. During the summer months, it’s important not to skip watering. But just how often you should water your grass in the summer depends on your grass and soil type, climate and weather conditions, the condition of the lawn, type of irrigation system, and potential watering restrictions.
Factors that affect summer lawn watering
Typically, lawns require between 1 to 1 ½ inches of water per week (either from irrigation or precipitation or both). This translates to two to three waterings a week, each approximately 30 minutes long.
But when it’s hot out, your lawn watering can change. You’ll need to consider other factors to keep your lawn in its best shape.
Grass type
Not all grasses need the same amount of water.
Warm-season grasses love temperatures between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and grow the most throughout late spring, summer, and early fall. They require less watering than cool-season grasses but do best when watered deeply.
In particularly hot and dry climates, give your warm-season grass between 1 and 1 ¼ inches (at most) of water each week. As mentioned earlier, this amount also includes rainfall. If it rains two or three times in a week, you may not need to irrigate at all (but do check your grass).
Remember that warm-season grasses use water more efficiently than cool-season grasses, so it’s best to err on the side of caution and let your grass guide you.
Warm-season cultivars that can withstand drought include:
Cool-season grasses are most active during the cooler parts of the year. They like temperatures between 60 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Since they’re sensitive to drought and heat, cool-season grasses require about 20% more water than warm-season grasses to stay healthy.
Give your cool-season grass between 1 inch and 1 ½ inches per week (two or three times a week for about 30 minutes each). Monitor your grass and soil frequently to avoid extreme moisture and the possibility of diseases and pests. In really hot conditions, increase the water amount slightly, but always check the grass first.
Some drought-resistant cool-season varieties include:
The Clemson Cooperative Extension advises never to “water the grass every day except during the establishment of newly seeded, sodded or sprigged lawns.”
Soil type
In addition to the grass you have, the soil type plays an important role in how often you water.
- Sandy soil: Absorbs water well but drains quickly, which can be a disadvantage in hot weather. Water three times a week and opt for shorter, more frequent watering sessions to ensure consistent moisture.
- Clay soil: Holds water too well, usually causing pooling, runoff, root rot, and fungal diseases. However, in extreme heat, clay soil needs less water, which is beneficial. Water your clay soil once or twice a week until the desired amount, 1 to 1.5 inches, is reached. This means sessions of about 30 to 40 minutes. Check the soil’s moisture levels with a screwdriver and apply water at a slow rate to prevent runoff. Opt for a soaker hose or set your sprinkler system to a low flow.
- Silty soil: This soil is prone to erosion, so try not to overwater (though tempting in the summer). It has better drainage than clay but slower than sand, and provides a stable water supply for your grass. Water silty soil twice a week with ½ inch of water each time.
- Loamy soil: Combines sand’s drainage qualities with clay’s water retention qualities, providing the proper balance for your grass. Provide ½ inch of water twice a week to keep it resilient throughout the summer.
How to strike a balance between grass type and soil type
- Start with a baseline of one to two waterings per week at the beginning of summer.
- Adjust based on your grass type’s requirements and temperature as throughout summer.
- Check soil moisture levels to ensure you’re not soaking or depleting the soil.
- Regularly monitor your grass – check for signs of drought stress such as discoloration or visible footprints.
If you don’t know your soil type, you can test your soil and send the samples to your local Extension Office for identification and amendment suggestions.
Climate and weather conditions
Consider your local climate and weather conditions when setting up a watering schedule. These include:
Temperature
When temperatures rise, water evaporates faster from the soil and grass blades, leaving your grass parched – especially if your lawn is exposed to direct sunlight every day. Sun exposure raises the soil temperature and accelerates evaporation.
In hot weather, you need to water your lawn more frequently to compensate for this increased water loss. The exact frequency will depend on the severity of the heat, but you may have to increase the amount of water by ½ inch to 1 inch per week.
Humidity
Humidity levels influence how quickly water evaporates from the soil and grass. Lower humidity means drier air, which rapidly pulls moisture from the soil and grass.
In regions with low humidity, you might have to water more frequently to ensure your grass stays hydrated. Conversely, evaporation is slower in areas with high humidity, so you’ll need to water less often.
Wind
Windy conditions remove the humid layer around the grass and soil, causing rapid moisture loss. On windy days, especially when combined with extreme heat, your lawn can dry out quickly. Therefore, you might need to water your lawn more often to keep it adequately hydrated. Remember to always water deeply to encourage root health.
Windbreaks or barriers can reduce the impact of wind on your lawn. These can be:
- Living windbreaks: Trees, shrubs, hedges, tall ornamental grasses
- Natural barriers: Rock or stone walls
- Man-made barriers: Netting or temporary fences
- Fences: Solid wood, vinyl, or metal, slatted, mesh, woven wire
- Structures: Pergolas, trellises
The condition of the lawn
The way your grass looks can tell you all about its moisture levels. Underwatering or overwatering the lawn are two of the top lawn care mistakes homeowners make in the summer.
Signs of an underwatered lawn
- Yellow, brown, or grey grass. Although this symptom doesn’t always mean your grass isn’t sufficiently hydrated, it’s usually a sign of underwatering.
- Footprints that remain on the grass long after someone walked on it. This is due to the grass being unable to spring back up as quickly.
- Dry, crispy texture to the grass.
- Slow growth or no growth, which can be temporary or permanent, depending on how long the grass was deprived of water.
How to fix an underwatered lawn: Develop a proper lawn watering schedule, and deeply water your lawn for three or four consecutive days. Water it until it’s soaked and can’t absorb any more liquid to encourage root revival and strengthening. Once it’s back, continue watering according to your grass type.
Signs of an overwatered lawn
- Puddles that remain on your lawn after watering. When the soil isn’t absorbing water, it’s either compacted or overly saturated. As soon as you notice runoff, you should take a closer look.
- Fungi and mushrooms in your grass – a clear sign of a damp environment.
- Grass that feels squishy when you step on it.
- Slow growth or no growth, evidenced by sparse areas and bare patches on your lawn.
- Yellow grass as a result of oxygen deprivation caused by overwatering.
- Weeds and pests in your grass. They thrive in damp conditions, and if you’re not careful, they can easily overrun your lawn.
- Thatch buildup as a result of shallow roots that don’t burrow deep into the soil. The roots turn into thatch on top of the lawn, choking the grass and preventing it from getting nutrients, air, water, and sunlight.
How to fix an overwatered lawn: Reduce the frequency of your waterings (and follow the two to three times per week schedule), soak the soil when you irrigate, and allow the soil to dry between sessions to help the root system recover. Also, watch the weather closely to avoid combining irrigation with rainfall and choking your grass.
Type of irrigation system
Choose the right irrigation system for your lawn to ensure efficient water use and great-looking grass. If you want to know how long your system takes to accumulate a specific amount of water, take the tuna can test:
- Step 1: Randomly place eight or nine shallow, flat-bottomed containers, such as empty tuna cans, around your lawn. Try to space them out as evenly as possible.
- Step 2: Turn on your sprinklers and set a timer for 30 minutes.
- Step 3: At the end of the 30 minutes, measure the water in each can with a ruler. Add the amounts together and divide the total by the number of cans on the lawn to find out how much water your sprinkler supplies in 30 minutes.
- Step 4: Based on your findings, set your watering time. If the output is a half an inch of water, water for 30 minutes. If the output is less than a half inch, water for longer. If the output is more than a half inch, reduce the time.
Sprinklers
Sprinklers provide even water coverage for large lawns where manual watering is impractical. They help prevent dry spots and overwatered areas. They can be portable or fixed and typically spray water in a circular or rectangular pattern. Adjust the spray nozzles for different spray patterns and ranges.
Know your lawn’s watering needs, check soil moisture levels regularly, and place the sprinklers at optimal distances to cover the entire lawn without gaps. To minimize water waste, don’t place them too close to sidewalks or driveways.
How often to use: Turn them on two to three times a week for about 30 minutes each time. Sprinklers can more easily lose water to evaporation and wind drift, so you may need to increase that amount to three or four waterings in extreme drought and heat.
In-ground irrigation
An in-ground irrigation system uses underground pipes, sprinkler heads, and valves to water lawns and gardens effectively. The valves direct water flow to different areas and allow individual control. The controller sets start times, durations, and watering frequency for each zone.
For this type of system, you have a choice of sprinkler heads:
- Pop-up: They retract into the ground when not in use, preventing damage and maintaining a clean look to the yard.
- Rotary: They rotate to cover larger areas with adjustable spray patterns.
- Fixed: They release a consistent amount of water and work best on small lawns.
How often to use: Program your system to water two to three times a week during the summer. In-ground irrigation is more efficient than above-ground sprinklers as it reduces water loss caused by evaporation and wind and keeps a steady watering frequency.
Drip irrigation
A drip irrigation system operates at lower water pressure and delivers water directly to the grassroots, minimizing evaporation and runoff. It’s particularly effective in areas with water restrictions or if you have a landscaped area that needs a specialized watering schedule such as garden beds.
Drip irrigation costs more and takes longer to set up, but it saves water and reduces your water bills in the long run.
How often to use: As drip irrigation delivers water more slowly, we recommend running it more frequently but for shorter durations. Water for 20 to 30 minutes every day or every other day to keep the roots moist.
Manual watering
Water your lawn with a hose and spray nozzle for the most control and flexibility. You can focus on dry patches or newly seeded areas and adjust the water flow and direction to avoid wasting water.
One drawback? Manual watering can be time-consuming and strenuous. It’s best left to small lawns or specific problem areas needing some extra TLC.
How often to do: Similar to other methods, you can water your grass between two and three times a week.
Potential watering restrictions
In a drought, everyone is trying to conserve water. These local watering restrictions may apply:
- Frequency restrictions
- Time of day restrictions
- Duration restrictions
- Complete bans for a set period of time in extreme cases
To do your part and support the environment, you’ll have to:
- Follow the regulations set by your local authorities.
- Introduce native plants or drought-tolerant grass into your landscape to conserve water and protect the environment. Since they’re adapted to the local climate, they require less water to survive and thrive.
- Collect rainwater in a barrel or another container to access water during restrictive periods.
- Focus on priority areas such as new grass, trees, or shrubs. These require more moisture to establish healthy roots and grow strong.
FAQ about how often you should water your grass in the summer
Can a soil moisture meter help me water my lawn better?
First, determine whether your soil actually needs any water. A soil moisture meter can tell you exactly how moist (or dry) your soil is.
Insert the probe end as far into the soil as possible and check the display. Ideally, the reading should be situated in the blue “moist” zone. Outside of that, you may need to change how you water your grass to help it thrive long-term.
How do I measure soil moisture levels with a screwdriver?
Press the tip of a screwdriver into your soil. It should easily penetrate the surface to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. If it doesn’t, the soil is dry, and it’s time to adjust your watering schedule accordingly.
Does a newly seeded lawn need more water in the summer?
In a newly seeded lawn, keep the top 1.5 inches of soil moist for 5-10 days. Warm-season grass may need watering for up to three weeks. Water more if the weather is very hot or windy.
Water new grass seeds once or twice a day with a gentle mist to avoid moving or flooding them. Keep this up until the grass is established, then switch to watering two to three times a week based on the grass type.
When is the best time to water my grass in the summer?
The best time to water your lawn in the summer is between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. when there’s less wind and evaporation, and the sun is not as strong. This allows the water to penetrate the soil and reach the roots. It also gives the water left on the foliage time to dry, which reduces the risk of fungal lawn diseases.
Have a pro get you on a watering schedule
You know how important it is to water your lawn correctly in the summer heat. If you’re still unsure about watering amounts and frequency, contact a local Lawn Love pro for help. In addition to providing advice, they can maintain a pristine lawn in the summer – all so you can enjoy some time by the pool.
Main Photo Credit: PxHere
