Watering the lawn in summer: how much, when and how often
Lawns are overwatered more often than underwatered. Summer rules: rarely but deeply, and always at the right time of day.
Intuition says water the lawn a little every evening. That is the worst strategy possible: shallow watering grows shallow roots and the lawn becomes hostage to daily water.
The main rule: rarely but deeply
The goal is to wet the soil to root depth, 10–15 cm. That takes 20–30 litres per square metre per watering. Do this two, at most three times a week even in heat. Roots chase water down and the lawn becomes more drought-tolerant.
A simple check
An hour after watering, push a screwdriver or trowel into the lawn: it should go in easily to 10–12 cm. If only 2–3 cm is wet, you watered “for show”.
When to water
Best time is early morning, 4 to 8: evaporation is lowest and the grass dries during the day. Evening watering is worse: wet grass all night invites fungal disease. Daytime watering in heat is pointless: up to half the water evaporates before it reaches the roots.
Signs of thirst and overwatering
A thirsty lawn goes grey-green and footprints do not spring back. Overwatered: yellow patches, moss, fungi and spongy soil underfoot.
If no one can water
An automatic system solves it completely: waters early morning in exact doses, skips rainy days via a sensor and never goes on holiday. We calculate a system for your plot free of charge.