How much water does a lawn with trees need?

Question

I know the general guidance is about 1 inch of water a week for a lawn, depending on all kinds of conditions. Philadelphia area where I live averages a little bit under 1 inch a week of rainfall from April-October, so I get most of the water that way.

My actual question has to do with the two trees in my front yard. They are maples, about 2 1/2 stories tall. The front there is very dry and hard.

How much water do I need to keep the lawn fed with the trees sucking up so much? 2 inches/wk? 3?

Answer 1

The real question is which one means the most to you. I pick trees.

They are in compitiion for nutrient, water and sun. All cant be happy. Its a large battle with no easy "fix". Consider making a mulched planting bed farther out from the tree..

All will be happy and you have less to mow.

Happy lawns dont like to be watered often and shallow. The constant water on the blades sets it up for  fungus and the shallow watering causes shallow roots for the grass.

Extend a mulched bed out from under the tree with a soaker hose underneath.

Answer 2

Your trees will get all the water they need from down deep in the water table.Make sure your topsoil is completely covering the roots.The ground around trees gets compacted as the roots grow and needs to be areated every year to keep the surrounding topsoil soft and absorbant.I also surround the area around my trees with light layers of peat moss and as the grass grows through I add more

Answer 3

in 'a lawn with trees' there are two things to water, differently.... if you sprinkle the lawn, the water stays in it's root area and will entice the roots of the tree to the soil surface, which you don't want..... so you need to deep water the trees.... a slow trickle for several hours will do that up right... a soaker hose, covered with mulch , yes, would be dandy there!.... test the ground under the soaker hose by digging a hole  to see just how deep six hours of soaking sends the water.... once a week in the hot times if you don't get good rain will do.....

Answer 4

Trees are sucking up a lot of water. If the ground is dry and hard perhaps you should invest in landscaping it ( new soil, mulch, etc) Sounds like you need to water the heck out of it.