Lawn – Watering Leads to Runoff

Q: This morning my lawn service man told me to water in the middle of the day instead of early morning because water was standing too long, creating mold and mildew and allowing the weeds to grow better. Do you agree with this watering advice?

A: I think you need to review your watering practices. During dry periods lawns need to be watered deeply once per week, but not if rain has already done the job. Does your irrigation system have an automatic rain cut-off switch? If water is standing, you may be watering too much at one time. Adjust your timer so it applies water two times in the morning, when needed, with an hour’s rest in between. The best time to water is before noon, when less water is lost to evaporation and when later sunshine can dry off the leaves. Be sure you follow the new state-wide watering restrictions, which apply at all times during the year.