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We answer all of your questions about watering your lawn, from sprinkler coverage to over watering, mowing height guidelines and water-saving lawn tips. Learn how to have a happy and healthy lawn in the summer months now!
How Often Should I Water My Lawn?
Deep watering is a key ingredient to a healthier lawn. Our warm season, drought-tolerant lawn varieties such as Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo, Eureka Premium Kikuyu VG, Tif Tuf, and Sir Grange require minimal watering. However, all lawns need water to stay lush and green.
One of the most common questions we get asked here at Lilydale Instant Lawn, particularly in Melbourne’s hotter months, is, “how do I know I am watering my lawn enough?”
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, but some factors to take into consideration are:
- Recent weather and rainfall – warm or cool, dry or wet, cloudy or clear?
- Water availability and method of watering – hose/watering can or in-ground sprinklers or irrigation?
- Watering time of day – morning watering or night watering?
- Soil type – free-draining sandy soil or heavy clay soil?
- Lawn variety – warm-season, drought-tolerant grass or cool-season grass?
- Environment – shade or full sun, windy or still?
- Lawn age - newly seeded or established?
- General lawn health
What Is the Best Method to Water My Lawn?
Generally, we recommend that you use an irrigation system or pulsating sprinklers for all lawn types, as this encourages a more even spread of water across the area. Hand watering with a hose doesn’t tend to distribute water evenly enough – and it’s time-consuming, too. Make it easy by simply setting up a sprinkler attachment on your hose to cover your entire area. Set a timer and let it do the job for you.
If you don’t have time to water your lawn or live in an area that sees a lot of rain, consider buying a rain gauge to determine if you’re underwatering or overwatering your lawn.
How Often Should I Water a New Warm Season Lawn?
A freshly laid lawn needs more watering due to the root system still taking hold and building its strength and drought tolerance. Therefore, the first watering of your new lawn should be right after it’s laid.
We recommend that you water your new lawn typically once a day. In the warmer months, when temperatures reach over 28 – 30 degrees, we recommend that you water twice a day. In the cooler months or months with higher natural rainfall, you may need to monitor your water and alter it accordingly.
As the weeks go by with your new lawn, it is best to test if it has established by simply trying to lift a QWELT; if the QWELT is easy to lift, then it is still establishing; if the QWELT doesn’t pull up and roots have taken hold you know your lawn is established.
Once established, you can begin to back off watering, depending on the weather. However, if daytime temperatures are still over 28 degrees, it may be worth monitoring the lawn and its dryness and still watering daily.
How Often Should I Water an Established Warm Season Lawn?
An established warm-season lawn requires minimal watering.
In Melbourne’s cooler months (April to September), most lawns survive on natural rainfall alone, but always keep an eye on your lawn, and if it appears to be drying out, you might need to water it occasionally. In the warmer months of October to March, you will likely need to water it once a week to once a fortnight to keep it healthy and green. Ideally, you should tend towards watering less frequently but give the lawn a deep soaking each time. Deep soaking encourages the lawn’s root system to grow deeper into the ground, further strengthening its drought tolerance. We recommend setting your sprinkler or irrigation system to run for about 20 - 30 minutes in the early morning or after dusk. Then, after you have watered, simply stick your finger into the lawn and see whether it feels wet below the surface. If it does, you know it has received enough water.
Can I Overwater My Established Lawn?
Yes, you can overwater your established lawn, but this is more of a risk during Melbourne’s cooler months when the lawn has slowed its growth and does not require as much water. Just keep an eye on the moisture level of the soil. If your established lawn feels wet and looks healthy, it does not need watering.
What Are the Signs That My Lawn Needs Watering?
Your lawn needs watering if:
- The colour of the lawn gets lighter
- You leave footprints when you walk across the lawn (the ‘footprint test’ – a healthy lawn will generally bounce straight back)
- It dries out and feels crunchy underfoot (this generally only happens in the warmer months).
Do the Same Watering Requirements Apply to Cool-Season Grasses or Seeded Lawns?
Cool-season or seeded lawn types such as tall fescue, ryegrass, and bluegrass are not drought tolerant and require a lot more watering, especially in hot weather. Generally, we don’t recommend these grass types for the Melbourne climate due to its hot, dry summers. However, whether they’re established or new, cool-season lawns typically require daily watering all year round, so an irrigation system is essential if you choose to install them.
Watering Your Lawn in the Warmer Months
What Is the Best Method to Water My Lawn?
Use an irrigation system or sprinklers on a flow timer for all lawn types, as this encourages a more even spread of water across the lawn’s square footage. Hand watering with a hose doesn’t tend to distribute water evenly enough.
How Do You Know You Have Watered Enough for a Healthy Lawn?
Set your sprinkler or irrigation system to run for about 20–30 minutes in the early morning or after dusk.
After you have watered, simply stick your finger into the lawn and see whether it feels wet below the surface.
If it does, you know it has received enough water.
How Can a Wetting Agent Help with Water Consumption?
Hydrophobic soils repel water, and the water runs off the surface or simply pools and doesn’t absorb.
It is a common problem, especially in sandy soils, but it can affect many soil types that have not received regular water or are compacted.
Wetting agents are like a detergent or surfactants that reduce the water's surface tension, helping it to soak in.
Applying a wetting agent at the beginning of the summer season is a good addition to any lawn maintenance program. We recommend the wetting agent Lawn Soaker
How to Use Less Water in the Garden in Hot Weather?
As we approach the warmer months of the year, our focus turns to reducing the amount of water we use on our lawn and other plants. Whether you’re watering with mains or off tanks, it is important everyone is water conscious.
Here are a few methods you can follow to reduce your water consumption this summer:
Here are a few methods you can follow to reduce your water consumption this summer:
Look After Your Soil - Soil really is the foundation of your entire garden, so adding organic matter to the soil improves its structure, which helps it to retain moisture. In spring, mulching flowerbeds and around the base of shrubs and trees prevent moisture from evaporating during dry spells. Also, add wetting agents to your lawn and garden beds to ensure that the water used is well absorbed.
Water at the Right Time - It is always important to consider your lawn with any upcoming weather events. Watch for when your lawn shows signs of water stress. When the grass leaves start changing shape and looking dry, it’s time to deliver water. It is always better to water at the end of the day; that way, your garden and lawn absorb the water overnight during cooler temperatures, when less evaporation occurs.
Plant Lawns That Need Less Water - Warm-season lawns, such as Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo, Eureka Premium Kikuyu VG, and Tif Tuf, are drought-tolerant lawns; they require a lot less water than established cool-season lawns such as Tall Fescue or Rye. By planting warm-season grass, you will dramatically reduce the level of water needed to keep them healthy.
Use the Best Watering Techniques for Your Garden - There are a variety of watering methods, so it is important you choose the most efficient for the area of your garden you are watering:
Sprinkler System - The sprinkler system is best used to water the lawn deeply and soak
unplanted areas. A sprinkler flow rate has great coverage and pressure, but you can’t target specific sections of your garden.
Seep Hoses - Seep hoses allow water to seep out of holes in the hose. They allow you to water established plants in rows but are best used on heavy soil as water spreads further sideways, covering more than it would on lighter soils.
Automated Irrigation Systems - This system allows water to drip or trickle into growing areas whenever you program them. They save time and effort, but they are the most expensive option. Make sure you take hot and dry weather into account when you program your system.