As this year’s cold and snowy winter makes way for a rainy April, it’s never too early to start thinking about your lawn and its watering requirements.
While spring brings many areas plenty of rain, soon this may give way to the drier, more arid conditions of summer. That’s why it’s important that you have a watering plan in place so that you can sure a lush, green lawn regardless of how much precipitation falls in your area.
Follow a Weekly Watering Plan
There are two primary ways you can prepare for the ideal lawn. The first is to create a weekly watering plan.
Step 1 is to decide how often you want to water. A healthy lawn will require you to water it at least once or twice per week, unless you live in an area that has very dry and sandy soil or one that experiences frequent high temperatures.
The next step in your weekly watering plan is to determine what method you want to use to water your lawn. The most common are:
- Hose
- Watering can
- Sprinkler
- Drip irrigation
The best method for hydrating your lawn is to simulate the application of a light rainfall. This allows the water to be absorbed more easily into the soil and minimizes runoff. A sprinkler or watering can can easily accomplish this, but using a hose with no nozzle attachment will not.
The last step in developing your weekly watering plan is to regularly check the weather to see if any rain is expected. When it rains on your lawn, nature is providing your water for you naturally, so you don’t have to water. If there is no rain, you will need to fill in the gaps yourself by watering more frequently.
Measure Rainfall on Your Lawn
The second primary way to prepare for your ideal lawn is to monitor the rainfall. Your lawn needs about one inch of water from the soil each week in order to flourish. If there one inch or more rain falls within a week, you may not need to water at all. If there is less than an each, you will need to make up the difference.
The local weather report will tell you how much rain fell overall in your area, but it won’t specifically tell you how much rain fell on your lawn. To get an accurate figure, you will need to measure it yourself.
Pl;ace a household pan or a cup with straight sides outside near your lawn or garden. Make sure it’s in an area where it won’t easily be knocked over by pets, people or vehicles.
Within 12 hours after a rainfall, stick a ruler vertically into the rain collection dish and measure the depth of the eater. This will give you a reasonably accurate reading on how much rain fell on your lawn.
How to Get 1 Inch Per Week
To supplement your lawn when less than an inch of rain falls on it per week, you can use these watering suggestions to provide one inch of water per week for your lawn:
Watering Can — If you water once per week, use 1/2 gallon of water per square food of lawn. If you water twice per week, use 1/4 gallone of water per square food of lawn.
Sprinkler — If you water once per week, keep the sprinkler on for 4 hours per reach of the sprinkler. If you water twice per week, two hours.
Hose — If you water once per week, spray the hose for 2 hours per reach of the hose nozzle. If you water twice per week, one hour of water per reach of the hose nozzle.