Q&A: Watering your lawn up to 1 inch?
July 19, 2010
Question by labellewg: Watering your lawn up to 1 inch?
I was told that when watering your lawn after laying fertilizer you should water up to 1 inch every other day. This should usually tae 30 minutes or so. I heard the best way to check the water level is to place a small can with a 1 inch mark on your watering area. Once it reaches 1 inch you know you are there. I did that last night and after 30 minutes didn’t have even close to 1 inch.
Is this just bad aim or am I not watering long enough?
Best answer:
Answer by GracieM
It will take closer to an hour. Use a tuna fish or cat food can (as they are about an inch tall). When it fills up, you’re done.
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If there was not 1 inch in the container, then 1 inch did not fall on the lawn – unless the container was in a sprinkler dead spot. Try placing a couple containers around as a check. I think a 1-2 times per week vs. every other day will suffice.
I water one hour for one inch once per week. This is plenty to sustain a lawn. The water pressure and flow rate can affect how much is actually getting on the lawn. IT’S NOT YOU!!!
The Muse
One inch is good, depending on your location. Lawns can burn after fertilization, so it is good to error in over-watering verses under-watering.
you don’t need to water that much, in fact you may be leaching the fertilizer down past the grass roots. It is better to water lawns each day a little other than a lot every week. Occasionally water heavy but not all the time it is just a waste. The can measuring thing is inaccurate because of wind drift and the sides of the can/angel of the spray. My rule is to water well after fertilizing-15 or more minutes depending on fertilizer/type of lawn/weather conditions/type of year/soil type. Then water 5-12 minutes each day. As long as you have good coverage on your sprinklers you will be great. If you do not see any dead spots then you are doing fine. Use a small cup and do the test again. If you get a quarter inch in a half an hour that is more than enough.
why not wait till a decent rain is forecast ,and fertilize your lawn a hour so before it arrives, or fertilize in the afternoon before over night rain. As your lawn should only require fertilizer twice a year in Autumn and spring , normally there should be a couple of good showers forecast in these months , unless theres a drought where you live.