"Water your lawn at night," agricultural researcher Winston Kao said in a recent interview on the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water radio show. ‘How-To’ video creator Tom Mills makes world greener :26 at a time, ReThink Your Waste Campaign: Politics to Energy, Social Entrepreneur on the leading edge of best practices for the Tiny Home movement, New ‘Conscious Capitalism’ documentary to inspire business on sustainability, South Dakota's first Passive House apartments to benefit low-income families, Tips help customers manage electricity costs amid summer heat wave, Philippines envisions green smart city to combat pollution, Condo to become first high-end residential zero waste building in New York City, Americans continuing strong water-conversation efforts. When the weather gets hot and dry, many people get the hosepipe out and water their lawns.. 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.. Aerating soil by removing 1- to 2-inch long soil cores from the ground rejuvenates grass by providing better access to moisture and oxygen. Watering in the afternoon is throwing water away to evaporation. Water's tendency to evaporate is strongest in the heat of the afternoon. Continue to site. The rule of thumb for lawns is to water one-inch deep each time you water. If you water lawn at night in summer, the lack of evaporation provides time for the pathogens to infiltrate your grass. Water in the morning! Watering lawn in morning or afternoon is helpful during the colder months because if a particularly cold night is ahead, daytime watering allows time for the moisture to move into the soil to protect the grass from frost damage. Writing professionally since 2010, Amy Rodriguez cultivates successful cacti, succulents, bulbs, carnivorous plants and orchids at home. Scott's: Lawn Watering Tips - When is the Best Time to Water your Lawn? If there are dry spots, you may need to modify your irrigation techniques. THESE COMPANIES GENEROUSLY SUPPORT THE PGH MISSION; PROVIDE ABUNDANT, NO-COST, AND OBJECTIVE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE STRATEGIES, SYSTEMS, AND PRODUCTS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE HOMES. Watering at night invites disease. Since spring is the growing season and it rains often in the spring, it … In the middle of the day, water evaporates too quickly. However, not only the heat matters. With an electronics degree and more than 10 years of experience, she applies her love of gadgets to the gardening world as she continues her education through college classes and gardening activities. If you water your lawn too much in summer it will begin to turn yellow and grow fungus and weeds. The best time of day to water your lawn is when air temperatures are lower and there is dew on the ground. Take a few weeks to slowly adjust your watering schedule to keep the shock of change from further damaging your lawn. https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/blog/watering-lawn-at-night In general, water infrequently to a 6-inch soil depth each time; watering a little bit each day only encourages shallow roots that succumb to drought stress and possibly disease. Watering your lawn in daytime, says Kao, could result in up to 80 percent of the water being lost to evaporation. Irrigate your lawn less often. What Happens When You Overwater Bermuda Grass? Watering your lawn early in the morning is tremendously better than watering it at night, for completely opposite reasons. Evaporation loss is minimal because wind and sunlight are limited at that time of day. We can list links to a half a dozen articles on the subject that all provide different even conflicting advice. Watering in late afternoon or late morning may extend your lawn’s natural dew period which could promote disease. Lawn grass, and all other green plants, live by combining water and carbon dioxide in a process called photosynthesis to manufacture sugar, which they burn for energy. How Long to Water Your Lawn. Kao is well known for his breakthrough research findings regarding soil, water, lawn and gardening. Vulcan Termite: Summer Lawn Watering Tips for a Pest-Free Yard. Ideally, you can save water if you can wait until you see your shoeprint … When to Water. Watering your lawn evenly. Please sign in to continue or use another email address. Schedule start times at least one hour apart. The a.m. is the best time to water the lawn because the air is cooler and there’s usually not much wind to blow the droplets. Half an inch twice a week or 1 inch a week should keep your lawn refreshed. Kao’s own lawn utilizes water so efficiently that he doesn’t water at all. This turns the lawn into a shallow-rooted water junkie that demands a water fix every day just to soldier on. Watering at any time of day is better than not watering at all. Last night around 9:00pm at … Although healthy turf may not have obvious disease issues from nighttime watering, irrigation should occur during morning to avoid possible grass damage over time. So, 20 minutes, three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water. Resist the urge to sprinkle it with a light watering from time to time. There are several factors to consider when gauging the how long and when to water your lawn. The recommendation, Kao realizes, goes against nearly all available information about lawn and grass care. Let’s talk about why and the reasons you should avoid watering at night. Summer Lawn Tips (Cool Season Lawns) By Allyn Hane - "The Lawn Care Nut" July 13, 2017. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Along with cutting grass too short, watering at night is about the worst thing you can do to a lawn,” he says. Watering in the cool morning will reduce the amount of evaporation that occurs while you’re watering, so your grass can soak up more water in less time. Isn’t it so satisfying to gulp down a tall glass of water first thing in the morning? For example, soggy soil reduces oxygen supplies and causes grass stress. Also, plants absorb water faster in morning than during afternoon. By watering your lawn wisely, you can conserve a precious resource and save money on your water bill. Watering at any time of day is better than not watering at all. The liquid will evaporate too quickly and may not reach your grass’s roots, so heat and irrigation shouldn’t go together. While there are many answers to this question, the truth is – it depends. On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. Aeration also reduces the thatch layer, allowing healthy water absorption during morning irrigation. Why Morning Is the Best Time to Water Plants in Summer. This will close after 10 seconds. Be a night owl. Watering your lawn in daytime, says Kao, could result in up to 80 percent of the water being lost to evaporation. Spring Is the Best Time to Seed. To determine how long you need to water to get one inch, place a plastic container in your yard and set a timer. Watering to keep lawn green "Water turf two to three times weekly - deeply, a good soaking, so you don't have to water daily," Patton said. When should you water plants and trees on a hot day? Watering in the early-morning hours is most effective; watering in the evening could encourage disease or pests. Avoid watering at midday, (when water evaporates … A lawn can weather a 4- to 6-week drought with little lasting impact. Night or early in the morning are the most effective times to water, because wind and evaporation are lower. Summer time in the cool season lawn: it’s the smell of barbecue smoke, the sound of an impact sprinkler and the feeling of soft green grass under bare feet. As grass blades swell with moisture, they are more difficult for small pests to damage; wilting grass blades allow simple access to their internal areas upon which pests feed. 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. As for me, it’s still too hot for irrigation. Also, it’s cooler and less windy in the morning, so you have less evaporation, which will save money on your water bill and take less time to get the water on your lawn. By watering your lawn at night, when water collects on grass and leaves, much less water is lost to evaporation. It’s better for the lawn to water heavily and less frequently, than to lightly mist it every day. Should We Water a Lawn When the Temperature Is Cold? Many plants, including grass, attempt to slow this upward migration of water vapor by shutting down. While watering during the day causes water to evaporate too quickly, watering in the evening allows water to cling to the grass for too long. To truly want to cut back on water … According to Kao, keeping grass and garden plants well nourished, and maintaining a high ratio of organic material in the soil, should also increase the ability of the lawn, garden and soil to retain and utilize water. And in the evenings, water can cling to the blades of grass overnight, which can cause lawn diseases. Watering on a hot summer afternoon is a horrible idea. The absorbed water helps grass retain its green hue and upright posture throughout the day. Watering at night, however, can encourage disease in a poorly managed lawn. Check several locations to see if irrigation is even throughout the yard. Help your grass endure the long, afternoon sunlight by irrigating your lawn in early morning. Watering lawn in the evening, you are to be sure the moisture absorbs. Watering your lawn at night offers the main benefit of reduced evaporation; you conserve water while maximizing your turf's absorption ability without the sun's constant heat. This trick will save you on your water bill. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning hours. Pests use nighttime to invade a lawn while unseen. The ideal time for morning watering … Overwatering any time of day, however, causes major lawn problems. As a result, pathogens, such as root rot, set in and damage the lawn until you correct the soggy conditions. Morning, around 6 to 8 a.m., is the best time to water. Less is lost to evaporation and your lawn has time to dry off before nightfall. Kao has discovered that night lawn watering enables grass to utilize water far more efficiently. Watering in the morning is the best time because the temperatures are the lowest this time of day. Learn more about the cycle-and-soak method of landscape irrigation. For each assigned day of watering, water your lawn 3 times a day, 4 minutes each watering. © 2020 Sustainable Community Media All Rights Reserved. A wet lawn at night, on a regular basis, can lead to fungus and disease problems. Instead of watering shallowly every day for 15 minutes, water deeply once a week for an hour or so (or how ever long it takes to apply an inch of water). You can sign into this site using your login credentials from any of these Networld Media Group sites: The email address you entered is already registered. It is ideal to water lawns about one inch of water per week. 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. In most lawn and garden situations, it's best if water is penetrating 6" to 8" beneath the surface of the soil. If you water your lawn too much in winter it will get brown patches and begin to grow weeds. Morning, between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., is the most efficient time to water your lawn. Watering in the middle of the the day will waste water due to evaporation. As you water your lawn in morning, you have a chance to remove the pests, such as snails, to prevent widespread turf damage. Whether it is best to water lawn in morning or afternoon depends on the time of year. If water use is restricted or cost-prohibitive for you, your lawn can go dormant without harming it. By watering your lawn at night, when water collects on grass and leaves, much less water is lost to evaporation. Light watering is wasteful and ineffective for turf. Watering Grass At Night Lawn care "rules" tell us not to water at night. Program A — Sprinkler irrigation. How Often Should Grass Be Watered After it Is Fertilized? Instead, the best time to water lawns in summer is in the morning. How much should you water your lawn? WATERING YOUR LAWN – WHEN AND HOW LONG? Rotating sprinklers should run … Unfortunately, as simple as lawn watering is in practice, many lawn owners get it wrong. Using these programs correctly will save water and money. Compacted soil and a thick thatch layer of decaying stems and foliage hinder water absorption and may contribute to puddling on grass turf's surface. Prefabricated Homes / Systems Built Homes / Modular Homes. During spring and summer, lawns must endure afternoon heat stress because most grass species grow best in full-sunlight locations. Aerated soil reduces puddling and disease while moving precious water into lower areas of soil where roots can absorb the water. You should water most lawns so that the top 6-8 inches of soil is moist, which translates to 1-1.5 inches of water per week. Q: Should I fertilize my plants during the summer? The general goal should be to soak the soil in your lawn somewhere between four and six inches deep each time. Water early in the morning and finish just before sunrise. The blog also notes that early evening watering gives plants a bit of time to absorb water and dry out a bit before night falls. The lawn should go to bed at night. Winston Kao is an agricultural scientist, entrepreneur and educator from Clearwater, Florida, and owner of "Go Beyond organic." Morning watering allows time for evaporation and soil absorption, keeping foliage dry overnight. Kao never waters his own lawn but keeps it green by mowing the grass and providing natural fertilizers with a high organic content. About half the water used at home is used outside, and most of that is for watering lawns. The Conversation recommends avoiding watering in … Watering the grass every single day for 15 minutes. The best time of day to water your lawn is before 10 a.m., or between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Be sure not to ever water your lawn at night when the moisture will linger until morning. Even in the evenings, the wind can be stronger and the temperatures are much warmer which can cause more evaporation. If you have a summer thunderstorm or an extended period with no rain, you may need to adjust your watering time. Many bacterial and fungal diseases rely on wet foliage for reproduction and to spread. Watering systems are not always uniform in how they disperse water. It’s recommended to water lawns between 4 pm and 6 pm. If you water lawn at night in summer, the lack of evaporation provides time for the pathogens to infiltrate your grass. Photosynthesis is only possible in daylight and productivity peaks in the morning and evening. In hot, dry weather, water shrubs and flowers daily. While a lot of lawn care experts will tell you to water your grass in the morning or evening, new research shows otherwise. Pop-up sprinkler heads should run about 30 – 40 minutes. "A wet lawn at night is the perfect condition for fungus to grow. When should I water ? Trees and plants think so, too. Nighttime watering of a lawn with poor soil often suffocates grass roots and invites disease to the moist areas. Morning is the best time to water. According to Kao, water vapor migrates upward during the day and downward at night. Temperatures are usually at their lowest during the late evening or early morning. Kao lives in Florida, where it rains year round but even in regions of summer drought, his research has discovered, the need for lawn watering could be greatly reduced with proper education about lawn care techniques. Morning irrigation efforts keep grass strong for natural pest resistance, which means you don't have to rely on spraying harmful pesticides across your yard. 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