So after a mild winter, and a wet April, May has turned out to be one of the driest months in recent Columbus & Cleveland history.  With this mini-drought, lawn care companies are encouraging their customers to begin to water their lawns.

Watering - One Half of the Equation

Keeping your lawn green all summer is one part fertilizer, one part watering.  So your lawn care company can only do so much if you don't water.  During this dry period, your lawn can go dormant if it does not receive enough water.

How Much Water Does Your Lawn Need?

In general, your lawn requires one inch of water every week to stay green and actively growing.  For most, that translates into your sprinklers being set for two hours per spot.  So, if you were to water Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, you should set your sprinklers for 30 minutes per spot for each of those days. Shaded areas will require less water, while full sun areas may require double.  

How Many Times a Week Do I Water?

In general it is best to water 3-4 times per week, depending on the weather.  If it rains at least a 1/4 inch, you can cut the watering out for that day, or the next.  Again, the key to watering is to make sure that your lawn receives that inch of water for the week.

Best Times to Water

Often people water their lawns when they get home from work.  This actually is the worse time to water because the cool evenings can promote disease from growing on your lawn. The best time to water is in the morning, allowing the most amount of water to be absorbed into your lawns soil.  Watering to late in the morning can cause most of your water to be evaporated by the sun, so make sure your done watering before 9 am.  If you have multiple zones of sprinklers, add the time needed for each zone together, and subtract it from 9 am for your best start time.  For example, if you have 4 zones of sprinklers, watering each at 30 minutes, the best time to start watering is at 7 am.

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