Walk around your neighborhood and you'll see a variety of watering schedules — from people who run the sprinklers every day (and twice on Sundays) on their neon green lawns to those whose drooping hydrangeas just want a little moisture. So what exactly is the ideal summer watering schedule for your yard? And how does it change if you have a heavy summer storm or add a lot of new landscaping?
Here's everything you need to know to determine the ideal summer watering schedule, so you can say goodbye to scorched grass, brown flowers, and high water bills.
Kate Singleton is design director at online landscape design company Tilly.
Theresa Looney is a Master Gardener in Hennepin County, Minnesota, and author of The Humane Pest Control Guide: Natural, Nontoxic Pest Controls for Protecting Yards and Gardens.
Plan your summer watering schedule based on your plants.
Watering twice a week during hot weather will keep your lawn and garden looking great, says landscape design expert Kate Singleton, but some areas of your garden may need more care than that. For example, if you have a newly re-sod or seeded lawn, new trees or plantings that haven't yet taken root, or potted plants, you'll need to water them daily (or twice a day for small potted plants), especially during hot weather.
When it comes to containers, bigger is definitely better: choosing a larger container will allow you to fit more soil in it, which will allow you to go longer between waterings.
However, if you choose mostly native plants and live in a drier environment, you can water them much less frequently because your plants are used to going long periods without water. So if you plant succulents in the desert Southwest, watering them once every 10 days in the summer and once or twice a month during the cooler months may be enough.
Plant plants with similar watering needs together.
When planning your landscaping, try to plant plants with similar watering needs together. Plant drought-tolerant plants, like rosemary and lavender, close together, and water-loving plants, like bee balm and butterfly weed, in different locations. That way, you can give each plant the right amount of water and not worry about stressing them out with too much or too little water.
Measure the amount of water the sprinkler produces.
Lawns and gardens need about an inch of water per week to thrive (this includes rainwater), but hot temperatures, windy weather, and sunny days during the week may mean your plants need extra water to make up for water lost to evaporation.
To prevent over- or under-watering your garden, place cans or containers (tuna cans work well) at several points along the sprinkler's path, according to the University of California College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Use a ruler to measure the amount of water that falls into each can over a 20-minute period, then average the amount of water between the cans to get the amount of water the sprinkler will produce in 20 minutes.
Depending on the effectiveness of your sprinkler system, you may be able to reach half an inch in just 15 to 20 minutes of watering (the amount needed for one watering if you water twice a week), but it may take an hour or more to reach your target water volume.
Water at appropriate times throughout the day.
Watering in the early morning or evening allows your plants to get the most out of every drop of water, so it can reach the roots before it's burned off by sunlight. “Early morning watering works best because cooler temperatures result in less evaporation,” says Singleton.
Water the soil, not the leaves.
Sprinklers will water everything, including the leaves of your plants, but a better way to water your plants is to use a drip or garden hose, which can run through your garden and deliver water directly to the roots (this reduces evaporation and water waste).
Master Gardener Theresa Looney says another problem with watering imprudently is that it can create new problems for your garden: mold and fungal infections on your plants, including powdery mildew. This is especially problematic if you water in the evening, when excess moisture remains on the leaves overnight.
Follow local watering regulations.
Many drought-prone areas have summer watering restrictions, so be sure to check your local city's watering standards; many have designated watering days based on your address or zip code, Singleton says.
If you live in an area where water restrictions are in place, Looney suggests looking for ways to reuse some of the water you use in your home. Some options include leaving a bucket in the shower while it heats up, or using eco-friendly dish soap and watering your plants with dishwater.
Reduce plant stress by using smart gardening strategies.
If you're away on vacation or in a drought-stricken area and can't stick to a summer watering schedule, there are a number of things you can do to minimize damage to your plants.
Use lots of mulch: Not only does mulch prevent moisture from evaporating from the soil, it also helps reduce the number of weeds that can invade your garden and rob your plants of precious moisture. If your plants are stressed, fertilize sparingly: You don't want to give them a heavy fertilizer when they're stressed or feeling unwell, says Looney. And so do your plants. So if your plants are feeling the heat, avoid high doses of fertilizer and go lighter. Move containers to minimize evaporation: When it's especially hot, give containers some shade so they can retain moisture. Let the grass grow long: Mowing stresses your lawn, but a long grass protects the soil and helps it stay moist longer.
