Watering Grass At Night Lawn care "rules" tell us not to water at night. Nighttime watering of a lawn with poor soil often suffocates grass roots and invites disease to the moist areas. 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. Watering at any time of day is better than not watering at all. Continue to site. This turns the lawn into a shallow-rooted water junkie that demands a water fix every day just to soldier on. 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. Instead, the best time to water lawns in summer is in the morning. Less is lost to evaporation and your lawn has time to dry off before nightfall. If there are dry spots, you may need to modify your irrigation techniques. Check several locations to see if irrigation is even throughout the yard. Morning watering allows time for evaporation and soil absorption, keeping foliage dry overnight. Pop-up sprinkler heads should run about 30 – 40 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. Evaporation loss is minimal because wind and sunlight are limited at that time of day. Please sign in to continue or use another email address. 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.. While there are many answers to this question, the truth is – it depends. By watering your lawn at night, when water collects on grass and leaves, much less water is lost to evaporation. "A wet lawn at night is the perfect condition for fungus to grow. 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. Whether it is best to water lawn in morning or afternoon depends on the time of year. The absorbed water helps grass retain its green hue and upright posture throughout the day. Aerated soil reduces puddling and disease while moving precious water into lower areas of soil where roots can absorb the 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. Kao never waters his own lawn but keeps it green by mowing the grass and providing natural fertilizers with a high organic content. The best time of day to water your lawn is when air temperatures are lower and there is dew on the ground. This trick will save you on your water bill. Be a night owl. Water's tendency to evaporate is strongest in the heat of the afternoon. Water in the morning! About half the water used at home is used outside, and most of that is for watering lawns. Watering in the middle of the the day will waste water due to evaporation. Aeration also reduces the thatch layer, allowing healthy water absorption during morning irrigation. There are several factors to consider when gauging the how long and when to water your lawn. 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. 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. 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). Rotating sprinklers should run … A wet lawn at night, on a regular basis, can lead to fungus and disease problems. Although healthy turf may not have obvious disease issues from nighttime watering, irrigation should occur during morning to avoid possible grass damage over time. 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. © 2020 Sustainable Community Media All Rights Reserved. In most lawn and garden situations, it's best if water is penetrating 6" to 8" beneath the surface of the soil. Kao is well known for his breakthrough research findings regarding soil, water, lawn and gardening. How Often Should Grass Be Watered After it Is Fertilized? 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. As a result, pathogens, such as root rot, set in and damage the lawn until you correct the soggy conditions. To truly want to cut back on water … Since spring is the growing season and it rains often in the spring, it … It’s recommended to water lawns between 4 pm and 6 pm. To determine how long you need to water to get one inch, place a plastic container in your yard and set a timer. When should I water ? Let’s talk about why and the reasons you should avoid watering at night. Watering your lawn in daytime, says Kao, could result in up to 80 percent of the water being lost to evaporation. Water early in the morning and finish just before sunrise. Many plants, including grass, attempt to slow this upward migration of water vapor by shutting down. Using these programs correctly will save water and money. Writing professionally since 2010, Amy Rodriguez cultivates successful cacti, succulents, bulbs, carnivorous plants and orchids at home. We can list links to a half a dozen articles on the subject that all provide different even conflicting advice. Temperatures are usually at their lowest during the late evening or early morning. Watering in the early-morning hours is most effective; watering in the evening could encourage disease or pests. Watering your lawn in daytime, says Kao, could result in up to 80 percent of the water being lost to evaporation. Kao’s own lawn utilizes water so efficiently that he doesn’t water at all. Watering in the morning is the best time because the temperatures are the lowest this time of day. 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. 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. Night or early in the morning are the most effective times to water, because wind and evaporation are lower. Watering your lawn evenly. Vulcan Termite: Summer Lawn Watering Tips for a Pest-Free Yard. Watering the grass every single day for 15 minutes. Resist the urge to sprinkle it with a light watering from time to time. In the middle of the day, water evaporates too quickly. Photosynthesis is only possible in daylight and productivity peaks in the morning and evening. 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. Even in the evenings, the wind can be stronger and the temperatures are much warmer which can cause more evaporation. Take a few weeks to slowly adjust your watering schedule to keep the shock of change from further damaging your lawn. According to Kao, water vapor migrates upward during the day and downward at night. It is ideal to water lawns about one inch of water per week. When the weather gets hot and dry, many people get the hosepipe out and water their lawns.. If you water your lawn too much in winter it will get brown patches and begin to grow weeds. 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. ‘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. Watering at night invites disease. Winston Kao is an agricultural scientist, entrepreneur and educator from Clearwater, Florida, and owner of "Go Beyond organic." © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Ideally, you can save water if you can wait until you see your shoeprint … Watering at night, however, can encourage disease in a poorly managed lawn. Trees and plants think so, too. Pests use nighttime to invade a lawn while unseen. 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. Morning, around 6 to 8 a.m., is the best time to 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. Watering on a hot summer afternoon is a horrible idea. Light watering is wasteful and ineffective for turf. Watering in late afternoon or late morning may extend your lawn’s natural dew period which could promote disease. If you water lawn at night in summer, the lack of evaporation provides time for the pathogens to infiltrate your grass. If water use is restricted or cost-prohibitive for you, your lawn can go dormant without harming it. This will close after 10 seconds. Summer Lawn Tips (Cool Season Lawns) By Allyn Hane - "The Lawn Care Nut" July 13, 2017. Aerating soil by removing 1- to 2-inch long soil cores from the ground rejuvenates grass by providing better access to moisture and oxygen. For example, soggy soil reduces oxygen supplies and causes grass stress. Watering in the afternoon is throwing water away to evaporation. In hot, dry weather, water shrubs and flowers daily. As you water your lawn in morning, you have a chance to remove the pests, such as snails, to prevent widespread turf damage. 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. If you water your lawn too much in summer it will begin to turn yellow and grow fungus and weeds. Irrigate your lawn less often. Schedule start times at least one hour apart. On average, it will take 30 minutes to get a half inch of water. Last night around 9:00pm at … Scott's: Lawn Watering Tips - When is the Best Time to Water your Lawn? Along with cutting grass too short, watering at night is about the worst thing you can do to a lawn,” he says. Kao has discovered that night lawn watering enables grass to utilize water far more efficiently. 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. 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. 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. Watering your lawn early in the morning is tremendously better than watering it at night, for completely opposite reasons. Avoid watering at midday, (when water evaporates … Spring Is the Best Time to Seed. If you water lawn at night in summer, the lack of evaporation provides time for the pathogens to infiltrate your grass. Q: Should I fertilize my plants during the summer? Prefabricated Homes / Systems Built Homes / Modular Homes. Half an inch twice a week or 1 inch a week should keep your lawn refreshed. The lawn should go to bed at night. Why Morning Is the Best Time to Water Plants in Summer. 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 for me, it’s still too hot for irrigation. How Long to Water Your Lawn. Isn’t it so satisfying to gulp down a tall glass of water first thing in the morning? 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. Learn more about the cycle-and-soak method of landscape irrigation. While a lot of lawn care experts will tell you to water your grass in the morning or evening, new research shows otherwise. The liquid will evaporate too quickly and may not reach your grass’s roots, so heat and irrigation shouldn’t go together. Help your grass endure the long, afternoon sunlight by irrigating your lawn in early morning. For each assigned day of watering, water your lawn 3 times a day, 4 minutes each watering. The general goal should be to soak the soil in your lawn somewhere between four and six inches deep each time. The ideal time for morning watering … Program A — Sprinkler irrigation. Watering systems are not always uniform in how they disperse water. THESE COMPANIES GENEROUSLY SUPPORT THE PGH MISSION; PROVIDE ABUNDANT, NO-COST, AND OBJECTIVE INFORMATION CONCERNING THE STRATEGIES, SYSTEMS, AND PRODUCTS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE HOMES. During spring and summer, lawns must endure afternoon heat stress because most grass species grow best in full-sunlight locations. WATERING YOUR LAWN – WHEN AND HOW LONG? Also, plants absorb water faster in morning than during afternoon. What Happens When You Overwater Bermuda Grass? Unfortunately, as simple as lawn watering is in practice, many lawn owners get it wrong. If you have a summer thunderstorm or an extended period with no rain, you may need to adjust your watering time. And in the evenings, water can cling to the blades of grass overnight, which can cause lawn diseases. Should We Water a Lawn When the Temperature Is Cold? "Water your lawn at night," agricultural researcher Winston Kao said in a recent interview on the Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water radio show. Overwatering any time of day, however, causes major lawn problems. When should you water plants and trees on a hot day? When to Water. The recommendation, Kao realizes, goes against nearly all available information about lawn and grass care. The best time to water your lawn is in the early morning hours. How much should you water your lawn? However, not only the heat matters. The Conversation recommends avoiding watering in … 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. So, 20 minutes, three times per week will give a lawn about an inch of water. Watering lawn in the evening, you are to be sure the moisture absorbs. Morning, between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., is the most efficient time to water your lawn. https://www.abchomeandcommercial.com/blog/watering-lawn-at-night Many bacterial and fungal diseases rely on wet foliage for reproduction and to spread. 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 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. The rule of thumb for lawns is to water one-inch deep each time you water. A lawn can weather a 4- to 6-week drought with little lasting impact. Morning is the best time to water.
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