Question: What is the best way to water my lawn?

• Established lawns should be watered deeply, but infrequently. Deep watering once a week encourages deeper root growth, while frequent, shallow watering produces a limited root system.

• When watering, make sure you moisten the top three to four inches of soil, which covers the root zone.

• Although watering frequency depends on the type of grass, your soil, and the weather, most grasses require about one inch of water each week for healthy growth.

• The best time to water is in the morning. This conserves water that would evaporate if you were to water later in the day, but also allows grass to dry before evening. Grass that remains wet for long periods of time is more susceptible to disease development.

• If you’re using a movable sprinkler, let it run in one spot just until the water begins to run off the surface, then move to a different area of the lawn.

• Monitor your underground irrigation or sprinkler system to ensure that you moisten the lawn’s entire root zone without over-watering any sections.

• Water the lawn once grass begins to discolor and wilt. If you can’t keep the grass green, water your lawn with at least one-half inch of water every seven to 14 days, which will keep the plants alive even if they are dormant.

• Once your lawn has turned brown and lost all color during drought dormancy, it will take several weeks of steady watering to spur regrowth from the crown area of the plants.