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Key Points
- Watering your lawn in the summer uses a lot of water, but it can be beneficial if done correctly.
- Summer heat dries out soil and stresses grass, inviting pests and disease.
- Watering the lawn in the summer helps maintain its beauty, functionality, and health.
Is watering your lawn in summer worthwhile or just a big waste? While no one likes seeing their lawn turn brown, irrigating it can mean a high water bill for several months.
To help you find the best course of action, we asked three irrigation and lawn experts: Should you water your lawn in summer?
Meet the Expert
- Russ Jundt is the founder of Conserva Irrigation.
- Matt Cline is the COO of Hillside Lawn Service.
- Ben Ashton is the CEO of Rocky Mountain Turf.
Watering Your Lawn in Summer: Worth It or a Waste?
Yes, our experts say you should definitely water your lawn through the summer. Hot summer temperatures remove moisture from the soil, resulting in a brown and dry lawn.
“This creates just the right environment for unwanted pests and diseases to grow and create havoc on your lawn,” says irrigation pro Russ Jundt.
Jundt also points out that walking on dry soil will further harden and compact it, which limits root growth and water and nutrient intake.
Watering your lawn in summer is only a waste if the grass is dormant or there’s enough rainfall you don’t need to water.
When to Water Your Lawn
If you decide to water your lawn in summer, water it smartly—with a schedule that conserves water.
“Watering during the heat of the day is usually a bad idea,” says Ben Ashton, of Rocky Mountain Turf. “Not only will you lose more water to evaporation, but you can also scorch your grass.”
The best time of day to water your lawn during the summer months is early in the morning, typically between 2a.m. and 7a.m. The lawn should be watered for about 30 minutes, two or three times per week.
The next-best time to water your lawn in summer is between 7a.m. and 10a.m. That’s for homeowners who don’t have an automatic irrigation system and need to manually operate and move the sprinkler.
Pros and Cons of Summer Lawn Watering
Maintaining your lawn’s appearance is often the primary reason homeowners continue to water their lawn in the summer. Keeping the grass growing also keeps the area functional and dust-free for children, barbecues, and other activities.
If you’ve newly created the lawn or overseeded it, you should continue watering it to help it become properly established.
But watering the lawn in summer wastes water, which can be expensive. If you have to move a sprinkler around, it also wastes time. More water also means more lawn mowing.
If you’re watering your lawn in summer to prevent it from dying, you don’t need to do this. Most grasses are only dormant; they will turn green again in the fall.
Pros
Maintain appearance
Necessary for new grass
Preserve for activities
Reduces dust
Better soil health
Cons
Excess water use
Costly
Time-consuming
More mowing
Overwatering possible
Tips for Lawn Care in Summer
Avoid common lawn watering mistakes with these tips from lawn experts.
Aerate for Better Irrigation
Aeration creates holes in the lawn’s soil, allowing air and water to enter. You can punch holes in a small lawn with a manual spike aerating tool ($35 to $100).
Better yet, hire a pro to run a core aerator over your lawn. Core aeration removes plugs of soil. This is more desirable than spike aeration, which compacts the soil.
Avoid Overwatering
If you water too much, the leaf blade never has a chance to actually dry, says Matt Cline, of Hillside Lawn Service.
“This can actually encourage disease to come into the lawn, and have other negative impacts on the lawn,” such as fungus or pests, Cline says.
Use a Moisture Monitor
Use a soil moisture meter to determine the amount of moisture in the root zone of the grass plants. Using a meter is the best way to determine how much water is actually reaching the soil, allowing your irrigation system to be controlled accordingly, Cline says.
Use Smart Irrigation Technology
Smart irrigation devices, such as smart sprinkler controllers, smartphone system apps, and rain sensors, help you control and customize your water schedule to meet your lawn’s needs, advises Russ Jundt.
“Smart irrigation products are easy to use, sync to your Wi-Fi, and are environmentally friendly,” Jundt says. “They can also help you save water, therefore saving you money.”
Pay Attention to the Weather
How many times have you seen a house or commercial property watering the lawn—in the pouring rain? Don’t let that be your home. Summer rain provides free water for your lawn.
Read the original article on The Spruce
