Especially in early summer and the summer months, lawns rely on a regular supply of water to stay fresh, green and he althy. The reason for this is the short roots of the grasses, which cannot get the moisture they need from deep in the ground when it is dry.
How often should you water the lawn?
Lawn should ideally be watered thoroughly once or twice a week, requiring around 20 to 25 liters of water per square meter. Frequent watering in small amounts is less effective and promotes inadequate root development.
How much water does the lawn need?
If you consider that a lawn requires an average of around 2.5 liters of water per day per square meter, it is clear that summer downpours are usually not sufficient to provide an adequate supply. However, it is not possible to specify exactly how high the actual water requirement is. Like so many other things, this is very individual and depends on various factors. The following have a major influence on the moisture requirements of your lawn:
- the composition of the lawn: different types of grass have different moisture needs
- Location: Lawns in sunny, warm and low-wind locations generally need more water
- Soil: in sandy soils the water often seeps away very quickly, which is why the water requirement is higher here
- the heavier and loamier the soil is, the less watering needs to be done
- Stress: the more the lawn is stressed, the better care it needs
If possible, do not water daily in small amounts
Proper lawn care also includes watering the lawn, if possible, only once or twice a week, but thoroughly. Don't make the mistake of watering the area every day, but little: the amount of water is not enough to reach deeper soil layers. Instead, the moisture remains at or just below the surface, which on the one hand promotes matting of the lawn - and on the other hand ensures that the roots also develop just below the surface and therefore become dependent on a continued frequent supply of water. If you skip watering for a few days (e.g. because you are traveling), the blades of grass will dry out quickly. It is therefore better to train your lawn to have a weekly watering session in which you administer the weekly requirement.
Watering the lawn – How to do it right
A lawn needs between 20 and 25 liters of water per square meter per week, which should penetrate about ten centimeters deep into the soil. After watering, you can take a few samples out of the lawn and check: If the top one or two centimeters are relatively dry, but the soil further down is moist, you have done everything right. If it is the other way around, the amount of water used is not enough or you have used the garden hose at the wrong time.
Tip
Install a rain gauge (€8.00 on Amazon) or another suitable container in the middle of the lawn. If it has filled about two centimeters with water, you have reached the required watering quantity.
