How to Know When to Water Your Lawn

Want a show stopping lawn this summer? Learning when to water your lawn is one of the key ingredients in a lawn that will be the envy of your neighbors.  

Most experts conclude that in general, the optimum time to water your lawn is before eight o’clock in the morning. There are, however exceptions. Here are some tips to help you know when and how to water your lawn:

Early Morning Watering the Rule of Thumb

Because water droplets act like magnifying glasses, intensifying the rays of the sun, watering your lawn later in the morning or in the afternoon can actually cause the grass to wither and die from the intense heat.

Fungi, too, grow in damp grass. If you water your lawn too late in the day, it may remain damp overnight, allowing fungi to breed uninhibited by the sun’s drying heat. Instead, water early in the morning so the grass can dry off before the sun goes down. You want your lawn to be a welcome mat for guests, not an open invitation to fungi and other pests attracted by moisture

When Using Pesticides, Different Rules Apply

When you treat your lawn for pests that are soil borne, you may want to apply the pesticide to your lawn in the late afternoon. That way, your lawn will stay damp overnight. That will allow the chemicals to soak into the ground, killing your unwanted guests. You may also want to consider pesticides in granule form.

Treating your lawn for other pests may temporarily change your watering schedule. A pest control specialist can advise you on the best ways to get rid of fleas, ants, beetles, chiggers, and mosquitoes.

Applying Fertilizer Can Also Alter Your Watering Routine

If not applied correctly, fertilizers, too, can burn the delicate blades of grass in your lawn. With liquid fertilizers, you will need to soak your lawn with about ¼ inch of water within 24 hours of treating the lawn. One hour later, water it lightly. This will wash the fertilizer away from the grass blades and soak into the soil to nourish your lawn.

Time released and granulated fertilizers have their own rules. Spread them over your lawn one day, and then water normally the next. This will help the fertilizer to sink well down into the soil to fertilize the roots of your lawn.

Your local pest control service can help you handle applying both pesticides and fertilizer to your lawn. If your lawn needs rescue, call your local pest control company for help today.