How Long and When Should I Water My Lawn In Southern Idaho
Having a lawn that is green and lush is a dream of most homeowners. Getting the desired result comes with time, money, and sometimes a professional touch. But a big part of your lawn looking great depends on where, when, and how often you water.
How Much Water Does A Lawn Need Each Week?
It's easy to think 'my lawn looks bad so I'll water it a bunch'. In reality, your lawn needs between one and one and a half inches of water each week. The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Boise has a handy map to let you know if you are watering enough or too much. Each yard is different and uses different sprinklers so using their guide will help you narrow down your own yard. Some professionals will tell you to water once a week to get the full inch at once and others will tell you to water more often.
How Often and How Long Should I Water My Lawn?
The NRCS says you can water once a week for the appropriate time and get good results. Green Grass OK suggest you water in shorter times and up to three times a week. Bob Vila has an interesting recommendation that could work with either plan. He says that if you plan to water for 30 minutes (for example), water for 15 minutes in each zone and then go back and run all the zones again for 15 minutes. This allows for a good soak and better absorption. Adjustments should also be made in watering during wet spring, hot summer, and cool fall days.
Where to Start When Watering Your Lawn
I don't have a sprinkler system in my yard so I still have to water the old-school way with hoses and sprinklers all around my yard. If you are lucky enough to have a sprinkling system, lawn care can be much easier. An in-ground system should already be set up to cover the grass properly, but you may have to adjust some sprinkler heads if they are hitting the street or not enough of the yard. Setting up my yard with hoses and sprinklers I had to make sure the water from each sprinkler overlapped the other sprinklers to ensure full coverage. This can take some time if you haven't done it before.
I am not an expert in lawn care. In fact I've tried for nearly a decade to get my yard under control and my lawn looking green all summer long. It isn't just me either, on my street there are maybe five houses with enviable grass. There are maybe 10 houses who are trying each year (like myself) and there are probably another five houses that just don't bother any more. We have terrible soil on our street and it requires fertilizer and extra special care. Each year I do a little better and I think this year is the one where I finally get it right. Fingers crossed.