Watering Your Lawn

Frequency, duration, and timing are all important in your watering schedule.  Having a proper watering schedule for your lawn is crucial for its health, appearance, and survival.  A well watered lawn will have a deep green colour, and soft and spongy texture, and will be able to resist disease, drought, and pests.  On the other hand, a lawn that is not watered enough will become dry and brittle, leading to brown patches and an overall unhealthy appearance.  The best watering practices for a lawn in Southern Ontario can vary depending on the season and weather conditions.  These are some general guidelines to keep in mind with your watering schedule.

Spring:  As the weather starts to get warmer, your lawn will begin to green up and actively grow.  You may need to water your lawn from time to time, but you want to be careful not to overwater your lawn.  A good rule of thumb is about one inch of water per week, either through irrigation or rainfall.  Over watering your lawn can create a damp environment making your lawn susceptible to soil erosion, lawn disease, moss, and fungi.  So be sure to only water when necessary in the spring for the best lawn health.

Summer:  During the summer months, especially in July and August, you may need to water your lawn more frequently.  Monitor the weather and adjust your watering schedule accordingly.  While it’s usually recommended to only water your lawn in the morning or evening, it's especially important to do so in the summer. This allows the water to be absorbed into the soil before it evaporates.  Watering during the heat of the day will cause a lot of the water to be lost to evaporation, and not reach the roots.  The recommended amount would be between 1” and 1.5” per watering.  Additionally, it's important to note that during extended periods of hot and dry weather, your lawn may become dormant.  This means it can turn brown and wilt.  Don’t panic, a healthy lawn can survive several weeks in this dormant state.  Continue your watering schedule, and as regular moisture returns towards the end of summer it will turn green again.

Fall:  This marks the secondary growth period of the year.  During the early fall, your lawn will begin to green out more naturally and will grow noticeably faster.  As the season goes on, your lawn's growth will slow down and it will need less water.  However, you may still need to water your lawn occasionally to keep the soil moist.

A couple last things to remember:  In most cases, it’s much more beneficial to water your lawn deeply and infrequently, rather than watering lightly and frequently.  This will help encourage the roots to grow deeper in the soil, making the lawn much more drought-tolerant.  And, as stated earlier, regardless of time of year it is always recommended to water your lawn either early in the morning, or in the late afternoon.  Watering first thing in the morning (7 or 8am) is by far the best time of day to water.  If you are unable to water your lawn in the morning the second best time is in the late afternoon once the sun is a little lower and it's not quite as hot (around 4 or 5pm). Don't water any later than this though. Watering too late in the day can actually be quite harmful to the lawn. With dropping temperatures and no sunlight, the water will rest in the soil and cling to the grass for too long. This can encourage things like fungus and mold to develop, as well as attract unwanted insects.

Lastly, it's good to note that the above are general guidelines, and the specific watering needs of your lawn may vary depending on factors like soil type, climate, sun exposure, and the type of grass you have.  Our region (Southern Ontario) is well known for its hot and humid summers, so you’ll want to keep an eye on the weather, and adjust your watering routine accordingly.  It's also good to check local regulations regarding watering as some municipalities may have some bylaws in place that can limit watering during certain times or days of the week.