Watering Your Lawn: Essential Tips for Healthy Grass

Watering your lawn properly is essential for a healthy, thriving yard. However, it’s not as straightforward as watering your lawn every day. Different grass types, seasons, and climates all play a role in how often your lawn needs to be watered.  

In Kansas, we can have long periods of time in which we don’t receive rainfall. Yet, the grass is still able to survive in dry drought conditions due to a deep, well-developed root system.  

In this blog, we will cover the best practices for keeping your lawn watered properly based on your grass type, the season and time of year, and special watering considerations to keep in mind.  

Understanding Your Grass Type 

When you’re choosing the right turf to use in your yard, you will be choosing between warm-season and cool-season grasses. By knowing the grass type you have, you can ensure that you’re tailoring your watering practices to the specific needs of your lawn.  

According to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, Wichita is in Zone 7a, which sits right on the line for warm-season and cool-season grasses to be able to survive.  

• Cool-Season grasses, such as Fescue or Bluegrass, are known for their resilience to extreme temperatures. For example, Tall Fescue is favored for its durability and lush, green appearance, thriving in the cooler Fall and Spring temperatures while remaining relatively tolerant to drought. In contrast to their warm-season counterparts, cool-season grasses require more frequent watering sessions due to their shallower root depth.  

• Warm-Season grasses, such as Bermuda or Buffalo, are commonly found in the Wichita area. These warm-season grasses are known for their ability to thrive in the summer heat, due to their extensive root system, but it may turn dormant and brown during the cold, shady Winter months. Warm-season grasses require deeper, but less frequent, watering sessions to encourage root growth and resilience.   

Basics of Watering Your Lawn 

There are several factors to take into consideration in order to know the best plan of action for watering your lawn.  

Factors affecting watering frequency and duration:  

• • Soil Type, Moisture Levels, and Water Retention Qualities: It is important to balance between underwatering or waterlogging your grass. Different soil types, such as sand, clay, or loam, have significantly different water retention properties. By knowing how much water is already in your soil, as well as the needs for the specific soil type, you can tailor your watering plan accordingly.  

• • Sprinkler or Irrigation System Type: A variety of sprinkler systems handle the watering of your lawn in different ways. Rotor heads are great for large, open spaces, while spray heads or drip systems are better for smaller areas and less water waste.  

• • The Size and Slope of Your Landscape: Sloped areas of your lawn can cause runoff, water waste, and prevent your grass from absorbing the water it needs. Setting up a sprinkler system that is timed to water your yard’s sloped areas at shorter intervals can improve results.  

• • The Season, Time of Day, and Weather Conditions: Watering your grass during the hottest part of the day will lead to more evaporation and water waste – causing you more effort and spending more time and money, as well as preventing the proper water coverage your lawn needs. On the flip side, watering in the evenings, at night, or in cool conditions can cause the opposite effect. Without the sun and heat to evaporate excess water, bacteria and fungus will inevitably make their way into your lawn’s root systems and cause root rot and dead patches of grass.   

As a general rule, it’s best to water deeply and infrequently, hydrating the soil without overwatering it. Overwatering will drown your roots, deprive them of oxygen, and lead to disease and pests causing damage to your lawn’s root system. Underwatering will lead to dry, wilted grass, and increase the susceptibility to root damage, weed invasion, and soil compaction due to a lack of water reaching the roots. A strong, resilient lawn needs deep and healthy roots, so be sure to water your grass deeply and with the right frequency.   

Special Watering Considerations 

Newly planted lawns and plants  

Special care and attention is needed to ensure adequate hydration and root growth, and preventing waterlogging your seeds and soil.  

Consistent moisture at the top layer of soil will enable new seeds to establish roots, but sod will require deep watering to help roots establish contact with the soil. You should see the seeds sprout without visible patches and be vibrant and green in color. Sod should begin adhering to the soil and not lift as easily after the first few weeks.  

Uneven Surfaces 

Identify areas in your yard that have high and low spots, which will have an effect on your watering needs. Higher areas may dry out faster and be susceptible to underwatering, and low spots can accumulate standing water or be prone to overwatering and disease risks. Monitor and adjust the coverage of your sprinklers or irrigation systems as needed for even watering and hydration of your lawn. 

Shaded Areas 

Areas that have more shade will often require less water. By adjusting and monitoring your watering systems in the shaded areas of your yard, you can prevent overwatering and excess moisture.  

Advanced Tips and Techniques  

• • Keep an eye on your automatic timers and be sure to adjust your watering based on local weather alerts and drought conditions. 

• • Mowing your grass taller and leaving the mulch and grass clippings will encourage deeper, stronger roots in your grass and improve its water and nutrient retention.  

• • Roots will grow where the water is. Deep watering of your lawn will help your roots grow healthy and strong.  

• • Aerating your lawn and adding organic matter can help improve the health and nutrient retention of your soil.  

• • If complex issues arise or continue despite following watering tips and best practices, consult a professional.

The experts at Four Star Lawn Care are here to help you design the perfect plan for watering and maintaining your lawn, freeing up time and effort so you can focus on enjoying your lush, healthy lawn for years to come.  

Why Choose Four Star Lawn Care? 

In this blog post, we’ve explored the many needs and requirements of maintaining a lush, healthy lawn, as well as the role that different grass and soil types, climate and seasonal changes, and many other factors play in the process of properly watering your lawn.  

The professionals at Four Star have a deep understanding of the complex, time-consuming requirements of top-quality lawn care. We’re here to help you eliminate the stress and guesswork, and free up more of your time so you can enjoy your outdoor space and focus on what brings you joy.  

Call, text, or contact us today to get your free estimate from the team at Four Star Lawn Care.