If you are looking for a straight answer on whether watering lawn at night is a good idea?
Simply, it’s a big NO. Read on to know why you shouldn’t water your lawn at night.
Maintaining a lawn is not too difficult but there is one thing you cannot avoid at any cost. And that is watering.
Too little water can cause your grass to dry up and die, while too much water can cause issues like fungal and bacterial diseases.
One question that most people have is if I can’t water my lawn at night, “When should I water my lawn?”
Operating the sprinklers during the daytime especially in summers can be a challenge because of extremely high temperatures.
A lot of homeowners have a misconception that daytime watering is useless as the water will evaporate before it reaches the roots.
But the reality is, the alternative of watering at night is bad for your lawn.
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Table of Contents
Basic Rule for Watering Your Grass
Maintaining a balance is the key to perfect lawn care.
One basic rule to follow while watering your lawn is to make sure that the water soaks at least six inches deep into the soil.
Six inches is optimum because some grassroots go as deep as six inches. Now how long will it take for the water to go down six inches?
It depends on the soil in the garden. In clay soils, water takes longer to seep through. Whereas in sandy soils, where drainage is good, water soaks quite fast.
In most cases, water your lawn for only 15 minutes is enough, but if you feel it isn’t, you can extend it to 20-25 minutes.
Why Watering Your Lawn at Night Is a Bad Idea?
Turning your sprinkler system on at night may be more convenient for you but it can cause many problems for your grass over time.
When you water the grass at night, there isn’t any evaporation taking place, which means that the soil is going to retain moisture all night long.
This creates similar problems to overwatering. Wet lawns are a breeding ground for fungus and bacteria, which can cause root rot.
When you water later in the evening, there is no sun to evaporate the excess water droplets thus creating a moist environment in which these problems can grow.
If you witness yellow or brown patches on your lawn, it may be because of an irregular water schedule.
Related post: Will Watering Dead Grass Bring My Lawn Back Life?
When Should I Water My Lawn?
The best time to water your lawn is between 6 to 8 a.m. but anytime before 10 a.m is ok as well. The reason behind this is that the sun is not too harsh and the temperature is cooler.
This way your garden gets appropriate weather conditions to thrive.
The grass seed gets enough water to grow and it manages to survive the midday heat. This will ensure that your grass seeds will grow to their full potential.
Related post: Watering New Grass Seed: How Much To Water After Overseeding Your Lawn
The easiest way to approach watering your lawn in the morning would be to use a sprinkler, a timer, and a garden hose.
If you have sprinklers, set a timer so that your lawn receives an adequate amount of water at the right time.
This way you can operate the watering system while sitting inside your home.
Related post: Best Oscillating Sprinklers for Watering Your Lawn In a Hassle-Free Way
If you’re looking for an oscillating sprinkler for your lawn, we highly suggest this oscillating sprinkler because it’s super easy to connect to your hose and it has a self-timer.
- 20 Precision rubber nozzles provide maximum coverage of a large lawn or...
- Built in mechanical timer lets you set how long you want to water, up to 2...
- Infinity turbo drive provides a smooth operation for even watering and...
Conclusion
With a busy life, it can be difficult to find the time to maintain a lush and beautiful lawn.
But it is possible if you keep your watering sessions in the morning.
If you can’t water in the morning, try to water the lawn before 6 p.m. Doing this will give the grass some time to dry before it gets dark.
Keep one simple thing in mind – you should neither water at night nor water your lawn during the hottest part of the day.
Rule of thumb, the early morning is the best time to water your lawn and plants.
We hope you found our post on lawn care tips helpful!
Lindsey Hyland grew up in Arizona where she studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. She continued her gardening education by working on organic farms in both rural and urban settings. She started UrbanOrganicYield.com to share gardening tips and tactics. She’s happy to talk about succulents and houseplants or vegetables and herbs – or just about anything in a backyard garden or hydroponics garden.