General Watering Instructions
These are general watering instructions. Every property has different soil composition, topography and degrees of shade. Even different areas of the same property can have different requirements. Proper watering is vital for the health and beauty of a lawn. The key is to monitor & adjust.
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We recommend turning the water on mid April and winterizing around Nov 1.
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Deep, infrequent watering is key for health and deep roots. Watering every other day, at most, is normally sufficient. If drought, high temps and low humidity necessitate daily watering, we will notify our clients to switch to daily watering for the duration of those conditions.
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We want to get the soil moist, not wet, and unless it was recently seeded (within 4 weeks), it needs to dry out between waterings/rainfalls.
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Overwatering is worse than under watering. Overwatering will increase the likelihood of fungus as well as many unwanted grasses and weeds. Drier soil is also better oxygenated. Keep it dry, but not to the point of drought stress.
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Monitor and adjust. Dark, greenish, or spongy soil indicates severe, long-term overwatering. Weather factors such as temps, rainfall & humidity will affect watering needs.
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Even brown, crunchy grass can indicate overwatering as fungus can create the appearance of a dry lawn, even when caused or exacerbated by excess water.
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We want to reduce the duration of leaf wetness in a 24 hour cycle, so finish watering by 6am (7am if it's a large property with a lot of zones), which aligns watering with when the plants are already wet with dew and guttation. Work backward from 6 or 7am and to work out the start time. If needed due to the amount of zones, alternate and run only half the zones each watering day.
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Ensure sprinklers are functional and hit all areas, including along the curb and driveway.
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Shady properties/areas, slow-draining soils and smaller properties require significantly less water.
SUNNY AREAS
As we approach the start of the season, our baseline recommendation is to water twice a week, finishing by 6am. The suggested duration is 20 minutes rotary, 7 mist. This is predicated on a sunny property with normal soil; all properties are different and even across the same property, conditions can vary significantly. As mentioned above, it is vital to avoid overwatering.
It is necessary to monitor soil and weather conditions and adjust as needed. We want to get the soil moist, not wet, and to ensure it has a chance to dry out between waterings/rainfall. Increase or decrease the minutes as needed, and work out start times in order to finish watering by 6am. If you have a large number of zones, you should create alternate zones so only half of the sprinklers run on any given day.
Starting in May, the schedule will increase to every other day.
SHADY AREAS
Shady areas of your lawn require special care when it comes to watering. Because these spots receive less direct sunlight, the soil tends to stay moist much longer than open, sunny areas.
Overwatering in the shade can actually do more harm than good—leading to shallow roots, moss growth, and even disease. It’s best to minimize watering in these areas and always check the soil before turning on the sprinklers.
In general, shady sections only need about half the amount of water that sunny areas do. Keeping an eye on soil moisture and adjusting your watering schedule accordingly will help maintain a healthy, balanced lawn across all conditions.
