Austin Lawn Tips: The Best Time to Water Grass & More

Learn All About Watering Your Yard In Every Season 

A hose or sprinkler system, some water, and a little time. That’s all that watering your lawn takes, right? Not if you want a healthy, resilient yard that looks picture-perfect. 

In fact, your watering habits should be based on your grass type, soil, region, the season, and more. The experts at Real Green are here to share some top watering tips, including the best time to water grass in Austin, TX. 

How Regularly Should Austin Homeowners Water? 

It varies, but here’s the surprise: deep, infrequent watering works best. Don’t give your lawn a light sprinkle every day. Instead, water deeply 2 to 3 times per week. It pushes roots to grow deeper, making your lawn healthier.

You’ll have to be flexible, though. Rain, drought, and local water rules can force you to change your schedule in a hurry. Watch the weather. Watch your lawn.

Too Much Water

You may think more water equals a better lawn. It doesn’t. Too much creates puddles, mushrooms, discolored grass, squishy turf, and runoff.

Not Enough Water

Healthy grass looks vibrant. Thirsty grass doesn’t. It shifts from bright green to dull green or gray. The blades curl. It won’t bounce back after you walk on it. You’ll see your footprints in the yard. When you water too little, your lawn just looks exhausted.

When Should You Water Grass? 

Timing is what it’s all about. Some times of the day are clearly better than others.

The best time to water grass? Between 5 and 10 a.m. in the early morning. Wondering why? Because after the sun rises, plants start pulling water from the soil. You want water ready when your grass needs it most.

A few other reasons that make early mornings our top choice? Wind is often calmer in the morning. Your grass loses less moisture to evaporation. And water pressure is better, so your sprinklers cover more ground.

Early evening (between 4 and 6 p.m.) is fine as well. But consider it your backup time. There is some risk of fungal problems when you water late.

Here’s why: As temps fall overnight, dew forms on everything. If there’s too much moisture for plants to absorb, your grass becomes more vulnerable to disease, fungus, and pests.

The worst time to water grass? Between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Basically, in the middle of the day. You might as well throw money away at that point. Higher temperatures equal quicker evaporation and less water reaching your grass.

Watering Through the Seasons

Spring 

• Rain usually comes with spring. You may only want to water if it hasn’t rained in over 5 days. Check for new growth. That’s how you can know it’s getting back into its cycle.
• As the weather warms up, your lawn goes from dormancy into growth mode. It’s time to adjust your sprinkler schedule based on local weather and what your lawn needs.

 

Summer 

• Watch for heat stress. Long periods of hot weather can cause the ground to become hard or crusty and prevent water from penetrating. Other areas become too wet, while still others do not receive adequate amounts as water runs off.
• If you find sogginess or runoff, you might need to aerate or call someone in to address the compaction issues.
• Longer days, hotter temperatures, and less rain mean your lawn requires more water now than at any other time. Heat and increased evaporation mean you should water early and deep.

Fall 

• Evaporation slows down as temperatures cool. Your lawn requires less water. Cooler weather, shorter days, plus more rain let you cut back on how often your sprinklers run.
• Check the forecast. But also check your lawn. In fall, that’s your best guide.

Winter 

• In colder areas, you will likely need to winterize your sprinkler system. Drain off as much water as you can. Insulate any pipes that are exposed to prevent freeze damage.
• Yes, water in winter, too…but only if temperatures remain above 40°F. In most southern locations, you’ll want to water periodically during warm, dry spells.

6 Steps for Saving Water

 

1. Apply mulch around the lawn edges and trees. It prevents water evaporation by retaining moisture.
2. Upgrade to smart controllers that utilize real-time weather data to run your sprinkler system. They give your lawn exactly what it needs and waste less.
3. Employ drip irrigation in gardens, pots, and selected landscape areas. Drip irrigation delivers water directly to plant roots, reducing evaporation and waste.
4. If you’re starting from scratch or overseeding, choose drought-tolerant grass types. Some varieties handle dry conditions better.
5. If you have compacted soil or heavy clay, aerate your lawn. It helps water soak in better.

Put a rain sensor in your sprinkler system. It will turn everything off automatically when it rains.

Watering Mistakes Texas Homeowners Make

• Not taking into consideration the type of grass, soil, or the season is like blinding yourself to your lawn’s actual needs. Listen and adjust your routine.
• Poor coverage is usually due to misplaced sprinkler heads, poor design, or broken parts. When some areas are dry while others are really flooded, something’s wrong with your system. A pro can find and fix coverage problems so every part of your lawn gets the right amount of water.
• Breaking local water rules can get you fined, so check what your city allows.
• Too much water makes shallow roots and weak grass.
• Watering at the wrong time wastes water and invites disease. Morning is best. Midday is the worst.

 

3 Ways to Check If You’re Watering Right

 

1. Tuna Can 

Set empty tuna cans, or something similar, around your lawn. Run the sprinklers. When you have about 1 inch of water in the cans, you have watered enough. This also shows if coverage is even.

 

2. Screwdriver 

After you’ve watered, take a screwdriver and push it into the soil. It should easily slide in 6 to 8 inches. If it doesn’t, then water isn’t going deep enough.

 

3. Flow Rate/Timer 

If you like math, calculate your sprinkler’s GPM and match it with your lawn’s square footage. If you like a challenge, you can measure how many seconds it takes to fill up something of known volume, like a bucket, with your sprinkler on full pressure, and use this formula: (Number of Gallons / Seconds) x 60 = GPM.

 

Your Soil Makes a Difference

Water will stay in the clay soil longer. This means you will water your plants less often but must go slower to allow it to soak in without running off. Clay does not absorb quickly, so you have to be patient with it.

 

The opposite happens with sandy soil. It drains really fast. You’ll need to water more frequently but less at a time.

 

Loamy soil is ideal. If this is your soil type, consider yourself lucky. You get good drainage and water retention. What this means is that you can mostly follow normal watering guidelines without constant adjustments.

 

Grass Watering FAQS 

What is the best sprinkler system for my lawn size?

The best system is the one that’s designed specifically for your property. It gives better coverage, runs more efficiently, adapts to the unique features of your landscape, and improves overall lawn health. One-size-fits-all rarely works for irrigation.

 

How do I know if I am overwatering or underwatering my plants?

Too much causes yellow or brown patches, bare spots, and mushrooms. Too little makes grass grayish and it does not spring back after you have walked on it.

 

What are the signs of drought stress?

Lingering footprints, droopy blades that fold or curl, and a blue-gray color are all signals that your grass is stressed and will soon need water.

 

How do I water during restrictions?

Focus on deep, infrequent waterings on your allowed days. Make every watering count by allowing water to soak into the ground deeply.

 

Can I skip watering if it rains?

Yes. Check your rain gauge to see how much fell, then adjust. If you got a good soaking, let your sprinklers rest.

 

Watering Established & New Lawns

Established Lawn 

This is easier. Just follow that 1 to 2 inches per week cycle and soak routine. The goal is to get the roots deep, and this happens by watering less frequently. In fact, your well-established lawn is one that prefers a hands-off approach.

New Lawn

New grass needs more attention. Give it a strong start by misting 1 or 2 times a day until germination starts. Depending on the type of grass, that’s usually within 10 days.

When your new grass hits about 3 inches tall, cut back to twice a week. You’re gradually preparing it for a normal watering schedule.

 

What’s the Correct Amount of Water? 

Try Not to Over or Underwater

Most southern lawns are adequately watered with 1 to 2 inches of water a week—rain and sprinklers combined. But do not just wet the surface. Water needs to reach 6-8 inches into the soil where roots live.

 

Shallow watering makes for shallow roots. Those can’t reach water during dry spells. Deep watering makes the roots strong. The result? A tougher lawn.

 

How do you hit the right amount? Use cycle and soak. Instead of running your sprinklers once for a long time, run each zone for 15-20 minutes. Right after that first round, run the system again. That creates the “soak” effect.

 

It works because soil absorbs that first round of water, gets a short break, then can take on more in the second round. This builds deeper roots and saves water that would otherwise run off.

 

Consider the Grass Type

Warm-season grasses are both helpful and demanding. Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia, and other southern grasses handle extreme heat and drought. That’s exactly why they need less frequent watering than northern grasses.

 

Cool-season grasses such as Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass are different. They will require more water because they’re not engineered for triple-digit summer heat.

 

Ready to Rely on the Professionals?

Now you know when to water grass and a lot more. You should also know that the best time to call us for lawn care, pest control, and more is as soon as possible. Reach out to Real Green today! We proudly serve Austin and the surrounding communities of Central Texas, ensuring high-quality lawn care and pest control services across the area.