Rules of Thumb for Water Use on Lawns and Gardens

• One deep watering is much better than watering several times lightly.
• Lawns need about 1 inch of water each week. If the weather is very hot, apply an inch of water about every 3 days.
• Watering to a depth of 4-6 inches encourages deeper, healthier root development. It allows longer periods between watering.
• To measure the water, put an empty tuna can (or cat food can) on the lawn while watering. Stop watering when the can is full or if you notice water running off the lawn.

Water at the Right Time of the Day

• The best time to water is early morning, because less water is lost to evaporation.
• The worst time to water is in the evening, when too little water is lost to evaporation. Diseases are more likely to develop in a wet lawn.