Watering your lawn incorrectly can do more harm than good
Summary points:
- Water for at least 30 minutes per session, ideally 45–60 minutes, to encourage deep root growth
- Adjust frequency based on the lawn's appearance and your preference for green turf
- Morning is ideal to minimize evaporation and avoid fungal growth
- Do not water for short periods (5–15 minutes) or during mid-day or evening hours
- Proper watering during the hot, dry months of summer can prevent crabgrass from taking over your lawn
Michigan is located in a "cool-weather turf zone," meaning turfgrass grows during cooler weather in the spring and fall and slows during the hot summer months. Most of the time, the rain we receive in West Michigan during the spring and fall will be adequate for your lawn during those seasons. The key for maintaining a healthy lawn is knowing when and for how long to turn the sprinkler on during the hot, dry summer months. That's what we'll discuss below.
How Much to Water
To keep lawns green and healthy, adjust watering based on appearance and climate. The general rule we follow is to water deeply and less frequently:
Optimal Timing
The best time to water is in the morning, the earlier the possible. Mid-day watering is bad because too much of the water will evaporate before your turf gets a chance to soak it in. Evening watering is very bad because water droplets left on the turf's blades in the cool overnight air is a breeding ground for fungus.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Watering for only 5–15 minutes per session is ineffective, as it does not allow moisture to penetrate deeply, leading to shallow root growth. Even if you do this daily, your lawn's roots will never grow deeper than an inch or so. You want to grow your turf's roots as deep as possible, as this will allow your turf to find water deeper in the soil, which is great for helping it become more drought tolerant.
Be mindful of the type of soil you have. If you have sandy soil, you'll need to water more frequently, and for longer periods, when it's hot and dry. In fact, with sandy soil, you may need to water every third day for 45-60 minutes at a time in the heat of summer. Clay soil will need a lot less watering because the clay particles are great at holding onto water. You should never water clay soil to the point of oversaturation-- meaning don't let puddling occur on your lawn.
With cool weather turf, grass naturally goes dormant in the hot summer months. Some people don't mind brown, crispier grass, as this is just how turf looks in its natural state. If you want to keep it green, just follow these watering practices (deep waterings in the morning hours, 1-2 times per week). If you're okay with it going dormant, you should still make sure it gets some some water or it will die. You should never let your lawn go for more than 14 days without water, 10 days if the temps are above 85 regularly. How can you tell if grass is dormant or dead? Give it a little tug-- if it comes up easily, it's dead; if the roots hold it into the ground, it's just dormant.
Watering for weed control
Another benefit of keeping your lawn properly watered in the hot summer months is that it can help deter nasty weeds like crabgrass. While cool weather turf doesn't thrive in hot, dry weather conditions, crabgrass does. So when your turfgrass goes into a deep dormancy because of the heat, it gets thinner and weaker because of the high temps. But when those temps rise and the soil dries out, crabgrass seeds will germinate and that crabgrass will thrive.
By keeping your grass watered, it'll prevent too deep of a dormancy during July and August. If your grass stays thick and strong, crabgrass will have a harder time finding a place to germinate.
How Much to Water
To keep lawns green and healthy, adjust watering based on appearance and climate. The general rule we follow is to water deeply and less frequently:
- Duration: Each watering session should last at least 30 minutes, preferably 45–60 minutes, depending on how well the soil can absorb the water without puddling. Letting the sprinkler go longer (45-60 minutes, or even longer) when the temps rise above 85 is ideal.
- Frequency: Base the frequency you water on how quickly the grass begins to brown. Some lawns may require watering twice a week during dry periods, while others might stay green with watering every 10 days. It does really come down to how comfortable you are with crispy grass.
Optimal Timing
The best time to water is in the morning, the earlier the possible. Mid-day watering is bad because too much of the water will evaporate before your turf gets a chance to soak it in. Evening watering is very bad because water droplets left on the turf's blades in the cool overnight air is a breeding ground for fungus.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Watering for only 5–15 minutes per session is ineffective, as it does not allow moisture to penetrate deeply, leading to shallow root growth. Even if you do this daily, your lawn's roots will never grow deeper than an inch or so. You want to grow your turf's roots as deep as possible, as this will allow your turf to find water deeper in the soil, which is great for helping it become more drought tolerant.
Be mindful of the type of soil you have. If you have sandy soil, you'll need to water more frequently, and for longer periods, when it's hot and dry. In fact, with sandy soil, you may need to water every third day for 45-60 minutes at a time in the heat of summer. Clay soil will need a lot less watering because the clay particles are great at holding onto water. You should never water clay soil to the point of oversaturation-- meaning don't let puddling occur on your lawn.
With cool weather turf, grass naturally goes dormant in the hot summer months. Some people don't mind brown, crispier grass, as this is just how turf looks in its natural state. If you want to keep it green, just follow these watering practices (deep waterings in the morning hours, 1-2 times per week). If you're okay with it going dormant, you should still make sure it gets some some water or it will die. You should never let your lawn go for more than 14 days without water, 10 days if the temps are above 85 regularly. How can you tell if grass is dormant or dead? Give it a little tug-- if it comes up easily, it's dead; if the roots hold it into the ground, it's just dormant.
Watering for weed control
Another benefit of keeping your lawn properly watered in the hot summer months is that it can help deter nasty weeds like crabgrass. While cool weather turf doesn't thrive in hot, dry weather conditions, crabgrass does. So when your turfgrass goes into a deep dormancy because of the heat, it gets thinner and weaker because of the high temps. But when those temps rise and the soil dries out, crabgrass seeds will germinate and that crabgrass will thrive.
By keeping your grass watered, it'll prevent too deep of a dormancy during July and August. If your grass stays thick and strong, crabgrass will have a harder time finding a place to germinate.