How Often Should You Water Your Grass in the Summer?

How Often Should You Water Your Grass in the Summer?

Summer is the hottest time of the year, and in some states the heat can be quite unbearable. If you live around the warmer parts of the country like Texas, Florida and California, then you have more than likely gone through your fair share of hot days. Yes, summers can cause you to sweat more than usual, but that doesn’t mean this season doesn’t have any good qualities. For one thing, you might have observed how your lawn has finally started to thrive after being stagnant for months.

Now that the summer sun has allowed your grass to grow, the question on your mind as a homeowner is how often you water it during the summer? In this blog we are going to give you some tips so that you’ll know how often you should sprinkle your grass with some much needed H2O.

One important rule of thumb that all homeowners should know when it comes to proper lawn maintenance is to always provide their yards with at 1.5 inches of water each week, either through rainfall or irrigation. Probing the soil with a screwdriver or another similar tool is a good way of checking moisture preparation. The kind of soil that you have and the area in which you live in will also determine how often you should water your lawn. You should also try to be conservative with water while maintaining your lawn, and having a basic understanding of the factors that have an effect on irrigation frequency can help you with that.

Types of Grass and Soil

Not all lawns are the same. Homes all across the country have different kinds of grass growing on their lawns. The amount of water that you use will depend on what kind of grass is growing on your yard. For instance, tall fescue has the highest drought tolerance of all the cool season grass types because of its deep root system. Kentucky bluegrass will usually stay dormant whenever there is a drought, but will revive once rainfall resumes.

Bermuda grass, St. Augustine grass, and zoysia are some examples of warm season grasses that thrive well under warm conditions. They have root systems that make them more capable of withstanding and surviving drought conditions compared to their cold season counterparts. Warm season grasses also require around 20 percent less water in general compared to cold season types.

In addition to different grass types, different kinds of soil will also have a factor in how moisture is absorbed and retain. Sandy soil is able to absorb water at a quick rate, but needs less of it more frequently. An inch of water on sandy soil is enough for it to penetrate up to 12 inches into the ground. Loam soil can absorb water at an even rate without causing any runoff or pudding. One inch of water applied on loam soil can penetrate up to 7 inches into the ground.

Last, but not least we have clay. This is the soil type that has the slowest water absorption rate of the three, but it can hold water the longest. However, it can also cause runoffs if the water is applied at an exceedingly quick rate. One inch of water can penetrate 4 to 5 inches of clay soil.

Regions

Different parts of the country will get different amounts of rainfall and summer conditions. Both of these can greatly influence irrigation needs. The US average of 39.2 inches of rainfall each year. During the summer, the country averages 89 degrees in July, which is widely considered to be summer’s hottest peak.

Grass will be in need of more water once high winds, low humidity and drought are present. Knowing how to identify potential signs of drought can help you go a long way towards properly maintaining your lawn in Fort Worth.

The Age of Your Lawn

Any lawn care expert will tell you that you need to consistently water your lawn if you want it to be green and healthy. Lawns that are newly planted are considered to be in a critical stage, especially in their first year. Rainfall can help with this, but you shouldn’t rely solely on it because the area where you live might not be getting as much as needed. If you want your new lawn to stay healthy, then you will need to develop a supplemental irrigation system during its first year.

Conserving Water

As a homeowner you should be smart with your water whenever you use it to sprinkle your lawn. The heat during the summer can cause water to evaporate quickly, so water conservation is key. To ensure that you don’t waste a single drop of water during the summer, consider the following tips:

  • Observe water distribution – be mindful of how much water you are using on hot days. Avoid watering hard surfaces to prevent runoffs from happening. Carelessly wasting water can also cause pudding to form on your lawn which can make it difficult for the soil to absorb any moisture.
  • Choosing a System Carefully – hose-end sprinklers work well with smaller lawns. You can also use a timer to remind you when to turn the sprinklers off. If you have an inground irrigation system, low angle, low volume sprinklers should be used. Make sure that your sprinklers have heads that are suitable for sprinkling the size of your lawn.
  • Inspect Your Sprinkler System – leaking sprinklers and water-filled valve boxes are two signs of may need to be either be repaired or replaced. Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when fixing leaks or unclogging heads.

If you want more lawn care tips, be sure to head over to our blog page as we have several helpful posts there that can help homeowners maintain their yards.

Sara Butler

Sara Butler has written scores of articles for Lawn Love -- everything from how to revive your dead lawn to how to start to lawn care tools every homeowner should have.