Watering Grass in the heat of day...?

Question

Living in California the daytime temps are over 100...is it bad for my lawn if I water it in the heat of the day?

Answer 1

No, the water won't burn the grass, but the cost will burn your pocket book.  You will be loosing almost all of the water to evaporation before it penetrates the ground to the roots.  

Water early morning or during the evening.  Disease shouldn't be a concern afterall golf courses, parks, etc water at night when the public isn't around.  Where it might be a problem is if you have humid weather, little sun, lots of trees and already have disease in the lawn.  

You need to be measuring how much water you are applying.  You want 0.10 inch minimum and better yet 0.25 of an inch with each application.  Since each sprinkler system is different, you have to calibrate yours.  Put some straight sided cans about the lawn and run the system for 10 minutes,  Measure the water.  If you can't read the amount with a ruler, pour all the cans into one can and measure than and divide by the number of cans in the total.  

I don't know where in Calif you are or what type grass you have, but generally 1.5 inches a week is more than plenty, but you should consult with your Extension Service office or water authority.  

finally, speaking of penetrating, about 3 hours after watering's end, take a long screwdriver and poke it into the lawn.  It should go down easily 3 inches or more and after 6 hours about 6 inches deep.  That's the sign of a well watered lawn.

Answer 2

I suggest you wait until the sun goes down and then use your sprinkler, during the day you grass will suffer more if it gets wet while the sun is at its highest.it will turn the grass yellow quicker

Answer 3

Watering at night spreads diseases which thrive in damp, dark environments. Daytime watering allows the sun and wind to dry the blades of grass while their roots are irrigated. As a rule, a sprinkler with a 5/8-inch hose left in one place for one hour each week will give grass all the water it needs. If you choose not to water, the grass will go dormant and turn brown during very hot summer periods. The grass has not died; it is just using its natural defenses against heat and drought. The grass should turn green again with sufficient moisture. Hope this helps :) And the Tam girl has the right idea if your trying to pick the best answer.

Answer 4

Yes it is bad not only for your lawn but also for your water bill.  The water you apply when it is hot rapidly evaporates since the soil is hot.  The water lets of heat from the soil and this only adds up to the heat to which the grass is exposed to.  Then since the water has evaporated, it becomes useless to the plant.  I suggest watering early in the morning.  It is practical to put in a sprinkler system with timer if it is within your budget.  If not, the usual rotary sprinkler will do (of course depending on the size of your lawn).  You may turn it on before having breakfast or as you wake up and turn it off before you leave for work.

Answer 5

It is best to water your lawn in the early morning hours between 6am and 9am because it gives your lawn a chance to soak in the water without evaporation, and then when the temperature does rise, it will rise gradually, and in the process  it will dry the remaining water on your grass to prevent fungus and grass diseases. Water that sits on plants and grass overnight is not healthy. There are alot of water born fungi that just love to eat grass and plants. :)

Answer 6

We have hot weather too (West Texas) and I often water all day long once per week.  It has not hurt our lawn at all.  It has now been proven that watering anytime during the day will not harm your lawn.  Make sure you give it a deep watering.  We water 30 to 40 minutes per each section.

Answer 7

Water the lawn in the morning but if you can afford it get sprinklers set in the ground below with a timer attached and you can continue to water throughout the day at intervals. Make sure they are turned off at night.

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Answer 8

Watering during the day does not benifit your lawn. You should water in the evening after it cools off, or early morning before it gets hot. Be generous with the water. That will keep your grass moist through out the heat of the day. Watering during the heat will fry your grass and the ground won't absorb the water as well.

Answer 9

It's not necessarily "bad" for your lawn, but it's a waste of time & effort, If you need to manually water your lawn, do it early in the morning, or later in the evening when the sun isn't so hot, and the water doesn't evaporate before it can soak in and benefit the grass.