When is the best time to have sprinklers running for the grass?
Question:I am just curious what the best time is for running sprinklers for the grass. My girlfriend says it's better at night but I heard it wasn't good at night because of the grubs or something like that and most people in my neighborhood do it in the day. Let me know what you think...thank you!
Answers:
The first two answerer's have the "right" answer. Watering at dusk, at night, when the sun goes down...lol, is the worst time. Lawn diseases namely "leafspot" thrive on wet, cool, and humid conditions. This is just what you will be giving them if you water your lawn at night. The best time, is as the first two stated, 4 to 8 am. The moisture in the soil will not "evaporate" that dang quickly and 2 hrs of the grass taking up water before the heat of the day sets in, is plenty enough time to quench its thirst. Then the soil can totally dry up if it wants too, until you water again. The lawn and "thatch" zone should be totally dry when nightfall comes around, if it can be humanly avoided. Of course this doesn't account for rainy weather.
The most efficient time to water lawns is probably early in the morning hours from 4 to 8 a.m. Less water is lost to evaporation due to lower temperatures and less sunlight. Also, wind velocities are usually lower than they will be later in the day so distribution is improved. Water demand on municipal systems is usually less at that time as well.
Midday watering, though good for the plants since it cools them and reduces heat stress, is not as efficient because some of the water evaporates before getting into the soil.
Watering in the evening should be avoided if possible. If grass plants go into the night time hours wet, they will remain wet for extended periods of time. This may favor the growth and development of turfgrass diseases.
**Billy Ray**
5 to 6 am
early morning. you run the chance of growing mold on your grass if you run it in the evening. You will also waste considerably less water due to evaporation if you run it just before sunrise.
early morning or late night!
If you water in the evening, you lose less water due to evaporation. I am putting in a nice link on this topic for you.
do it at the hottest time of the day,10-5 this way your grass doesnt dry up fron the heat.
Water at night! The best time is just after the sun goes down. The water will soak in and not evaporate! Dont water tne roses at night though as tha makes them get Black spot and other rose diseases
The best time is at dusk. Trying to run sprinklers during the day when the sun is at it's hottest will only scorch (and
possibly kill) your grass. Grubs are identified by the dead
brown patches they leave in your lawn. Grubs can (and do)
show up despite what time you water the lawn.
Water your grass and most other plants before 10:00 A.M., when they are waking up. For automatic sprinklers you will get the best water efficiency by watering for 5-10 minutes to get the ground wet and ready to take more water. ** After a 1/2 hour wait turn the sprinklers back on and leave on until you have 1 inch of water dispensed. To determine this length of time, mark a butter tub 1 inch up from the bottom. Place the butter tub half way between the sprinkler head and the outer edge of water pattern . Turn the sprinkler on and track the time it takes for the butter tub to be filled to the 1 inch mark. Set your sprinkler timer accordingly. This trick works for manual sprinkling also.
** Compare this to trying to wet a dry sponge and wetting a slightly damp sponge.
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