One common question about lawn watering is, “Should you water grass after it rains?” The answer depends on various factors, which we’ll explore in this article.
What to Know About Watering After Rainfall
Should You Water After Rainfall?
You might immediately assume that you can skip watering after rainfall, but not so fast. Just because the blades are wet does not mean the grass is hydrated.
Whether or not you have to water after rainfall depends on the volume and speed of rain. A heavy downpour that lasts a few minutes usually doesn’t give your lawn enough water. Rainwater from brief, intense downpours typically runs off before it can deeply penetrate the ground and reach the grassroots.
On the other hand, if it’s been raining steadily for at least two hours, you likely don’t need to water your lawn. A few hours of rain or an all-day shower will give the water plenty of time to reach greater depths through the soil’s surface while producing minimal runoff.
If you’re unsure whether you should water your lawn after rainfall, here are a few simple tricks to try to get the answer:
- Rain Gauge: A rain gauge effectively determines whether your lawn has taken in sufficient water from the rain. You can get this tool for less than 10 Canadian dollars; those with more advanced functionalities or fancy designs cost more. You can stop watering your lawn if it fills up to an inch or more.
- Tuna Can: It’s cheaper than using a rain gauge when measuring rainwater levels. Simply place an empty tuna can with no lid in a place where rain will fall. If the tuna can is filled to the brim, your lawn has probably absorbed enough water.
- Screwdriver Test: A screwdriver can do the trick if you don’t have a rain gauge or tuna can. Stick a screwdriver into a patch of soil in your lawn. If the tool goes all the way in, the rain probably watered the lawn enough.
Monitoring the soil’s moisture content and modifying your watering schedule accordingly are crucial aspects of good lawn care in Toronto.
If you have overestimated the amount of rainfall and haven’t watered in a while, keep an eye on your grass and try to spot any early indications of water stress. For example, the blades will roll up into a spindle when grass struggles to hold onto its remaining water. The stress decreases, and the leaves reopen as the day gets colder. If the leaves don’t reopen, you should water your lawn.
Also, like with other organic lawn care practices, you might have to adjust your rainwater expectations based on your lawn’s soil type. For instance, if there has been a lot of rain, clay soil might not need to be watered for some time. Conversely, sandy soil will need more water because it cannot retain water like clay soil.
How Rainfall Affects Lawns
Rainfall is both a blessing and a curse for lawns. On one hand, Mother Nature seems to have taken care of your lawn’s watering needs, allowing you to save time, effort, and money. On the other hand, Mother Nature may have watered it too much.
Rainwater: The Good
After it rains, there is usually more water in the soil for your grass. Rain activates the microbes in the soil, causing them to release more nitrogen. That means your grass will absorb nitrogen from the soil’s organic matter along with the water.
Rain is also generally advantageous after applying fertilizers, weed control, and other treatments. For instance, rainfall is a great way to facilitate the dispersal of granular pellets, which need water to be applied to your lawn. Also, liquid treatments dry on your lawn’s surface after application and become ineffective without rain or irrigation.
Rainwater: The Bad
Rain is beneficial for lawns, but too much rain too often can be detrimental. Excessive rain can harm your lawn by keeping the grass wet for an extended time, leading to diseases like brown patches. Too much water retention can also prevent oxygen from penetrating the soil and reaching the roots, drowning the grass.
Additionally, excessive rain can encourage shallow root systems. When there is constant moisture supply in the soil, the root systems are shorter because they have no need to grow deeply to access groundwater. In addition, if you have too much water in your yard, you may have to postpone or cancel lawn care services, such as mowing.
Why You Should Care About Proper Watering After Rainfall
Regular watering is one key to achieving a lush, green lawn. However, you have to do it right so it benefits the grass. Otherwise, it can cause issues, such as fungal diseases, weed control problems, and insect infestation.
Proper watering will help the grass develop a deep root system, which is critical in preventing heat stress during dry spells. Keeping your lawn properly hydrated in summer will help compensate for the water lost to evaporation in hot weather. Since the root system grows longer, it can support denser and stronger grass. Robust and lush grass is better at crowding out weeds and pests.
Generally, proper watering is a key lawn care step to ensure your turf appears fuller and greener.
Lawn Watering Best Practices
While freshly laid turf needs regular watering, established turf requires deeper but less frequent watering. Deep, infrequent watering allows the roots to spread farther and deeper, resulting in a stronger, healthier, greener lawn.
At LawnMart, we recommend watering your lawn once a week for four hours in each zone from May 1st to September 1st. It will thoroughly soak the soil and encourage the roots to grow deeper in search of moisture. A plant with deeper roots is tougher and healthier.
Good timing is also important for proper watering. Watering too soon or too late in the day can cause issues like inadequate water uptake and the development of fungi.
One of the best watering schedules for lawns is in the early morning. The weather is cool at this time, so less moisture will evaporate, and there will be plenty of time for the grass to absorb the water. The excess water will evaporate as soon as the temperature rises near noon. This prevents fungus-related lawn diseases that usually develop when water sits on leaves for a long time.
If you are not a morning person, you can invest in an automatic sprinkler system so you don’t have to get up early to water the lawn.
Watering also works well in the early afternoon, but don’t do it too late at night. Fungi like red thread thrive in conditions of darkness and humidity. Your lawn can rapidly become covered in ugly brown stains that look like dry patches. If you must water later in the day, make sure you give the grass enough time to dry out before nightfall.
Get Professional Help to Keep Your Lawn in Great Shape
Proper watering is key to keeping a lush, green lawn. However, it takes more than just watering for a lawn to thrive. You must also mow it, give it enough nutrients, keep weeds and pests at bay, etc. LawnMart is here to help if you’re looking for experts in lawn care near you. We’ll help fix issues and ensure the right upkeep is done to restore your lawn to its best condition.
Feel free to contact us if you want to learn more watering tips or how we can help your lawn thrive.