Watering the Lawn: How to Tell If You've Watered Enough

There are four methods to check if you've watered enough: checking the soil, doing the math, measuring water with cans, or using a flow timer. You don't need to use each method; just choose which seems easiest for you.

After testing to figure out how long you need to water, you may begin to notice that your lawn isn't absorbing water as quickly as it should. Your testing method hasn't failed you; you just need to adjust your strategy. If you find that puddling occurs whenever you water, try watering in shorter cycles until the required time to apply the needed amount of water is met. For example: 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, 10 minutes on, etc.

Check the Soil

To see how long it will take to soak the soil, check it every 15 minutes during your first watering by using a screwdriver to test how deep the water has moved. Mark the time once the soil has been soaked to a depth of at least 6 inches—that's how long you'll need to water your lawn each time in the future. Short on time and simply want to know if you can skip watering for the day? Use this rule of thumb: If you can't easily stick that screwdriver 6 inches deep into the soil, you need to water.

Do the Math

This is the easiest method if you have a sprinkler system, since the flow rate (gallons per minute) will be available from the manufacturer. Simply multiply the square footage of your lawn by 0.62 gallons (which is equal to 1 inch of water per square foot), then divide by the sprinkler flow rate. This will tell you the number of minutes to run your sprinkler system.

Measure with Cans

Place clean, empty tuna cans in different spots around the lawn and measure how long it takes to collect 1 to 1.5 inches of water in each can. Since sprinkler coverage patterns may vary throughout the lawn, use the average time it takes to fill all of the cans.

Use a Flow Timer (or water timer)

Choose a timer that measures water flow in hundreds of gallons. Multiply your lawn's square footage by 0.62 gallons (equal to an inch of water per square foot) to determine the total number of gallons needed for the entire lawn.

Do you need help with your lawncare? Contact Monnick Supply in Framingham or Marlborough.

Source: scottsmiraclegro.com