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Watering your lawn – when, how much and what about during a drought?
Though we are lucky to rarely suffer a true drought in the UK, recent Springs and Summers have brought higher temperatures and reduced rainfall, meaning an increase in brown, dry lawns. Longer periods without rain can result in water shortages, which exacerbates the issue.
When you notice that your lawn is becoming drought stressed; patchy, brown or straw-like, our advice is to dig a small hole to a depth of around six inches deep and check if the soil is dusty or dry. Most turf professionals use a moisture meter for this, but for a domestic lawn it will be soon very evident if there is any moisture available to the plant when you do this simple soil inspection. If the soil appears dry and falls off the roots of the plant, you can be sure that the lawn is suffering from lack of water.
The next step to revive the lawn will be to consider giving it a thorough watering to re-hydrate the soil and then in a day or two do a test hole again to see if the water has penetrated sufficiently. It is surprising how long you need to water your lawn to achieve this.
The big question many people ask is “should we carry out watering or not?” The answer very much depends on your opinion regarding water usage and the cost of doing so. If you decide not to water your lawn, it will go dormant and brown until sufficient rain arrives. At this point the lawn will eventually recover, with the worst affected lawns sometimes needing some extra recovery assistance in the form of autumn renovation. If you do decide to water, please follow the following advice.
What time of day should I water?
The best time of day to water is early evening or early morning, when the temperatures are cooler and less of the moisture will be lost to the sun or wind. This gives time for the moisture to work its way down into the soil and reach the roots.
How should I apply water?
There are various high-tech gadgets and irrigation systems on the market, but given that our UK climate is steady, keeping on top of the watering with a hose or sprinkler should be sufficient. For smaller lawns, you may even get by using a watering can, which will save a significant amount of water.
Our recommendation would be grass head impact sprinklers, which are highly adjustable and suit lawns of various shapes and sizes. They help to ensure that water is evenly distributed across the lawn.
How often should I water?
Water only 1 or 2 times a week. This may feel odd if you have been taking the ‘little and often’ approach, but lightly watering the lawn means shallow rooted is grass more prone to dry out, so you are doing it more harm than good. Less frequent but more thorough soakings help the grass to develop a deeper and stronger root system.
How much water should I use?
How to use an Impact Sprinkler
Our sister company, The lawn Store has a useful video on how to set up and use an impact sprinkler.
How do I keep the lawn watered if there is a hose pipe ban?
In times of significant dry weather, local authorities may implement water restrictions. Keep an eye on your local council websites for announcements. Although you won’t be able to water the lawn during hose pipe bans, lawns can survive for several weeks without moisture. It will turn dormant to preserve moisture and nutrients and may turn brown, but lawns are resilient and generally bounce back once sufficient moisture has returned. You can help the lawn recover by following our recovery plan .
What if I am on a water meter?
We understand it can be difficult to keep the lawn well-watered if you are on a meter. As outlined above, the lawn can survive for several weeks without being watered, though you will have to put up with it looking brown and dry if you are not prepared to water. However, watering is not always as expensive as you think, we have a handy watering cost calculator that can give you an idea of how much it will cost to water your lawn. You can put in your local water supplier and lawn size to get an idea of how much it will cost you each time you water the lawn.
Alternatively, consider investing in a water harvesting system and incorporating more drought resistant grass types into your lawn such as fescue when overseeding, as this help you be prepared for any periods of dry weather in the future.