Outdoors Water Conservation: Irrigation Timing
Daily water application is unnecessary for healthy established turf. Before watering, verify that the grass needs watering:
Step on the grass.
- Do not water if the grass springs back.
- Water if the grass stays flattened.
Efficient lawn watering:
- Water landscapes and lawns during the early morning when it is still cool.
- Lawns need about 1 inch of rain or water per week. Deep soaking is better for roots than frequent shallow watering.
- Water your lawn infrequently, one time or less per week, assuming no rainfall has occurred.
- Cut grass 3 to 4 inches.
Residential automatic irrigation leads to over watering by hundreds of gallons through “setting and forgetting.”
- Turn off automatic irrigation completely and use them only during extended dry spells.
- Soil moisture sensors prompt irrigation only when needed. Most cost between $120 and $160. They rarely require replacement. Minnesota irrigation systems must have technology that interrupts irrigation when there is sufficient moisture, and that the user can adjust.
- Many Minnesota cities have odd/even watering restrictions during the summer months to reduce consumption. It is best to water deeply and infrequently (usually once or twice a week during dry months) to promote healthy and hardy turf and conserve water.
To adjust the lawn irrigation frequency, see: