How to Water Your Lawn

Find out how to water your lawn properly. Get tips on watering early in the morning to avoid evaporation and fungus. Learn how often and how much you should water your lawn in the hot, dry season.

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TOM: Well, let’s find out as we welcome our guest host, Kevin O’Connor, and landscaping contractor Roger Cook from TVs This Old House.

Welcome, guys.

KEVIN: Our pleasure. We’ve all heard the saying that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Well, maybe it’s because their neighbors know how to water the lawn better than we do. What do you think, Roger? Any tips?

ROGER: I like to water the lawn early in the morning. It prevents evaporation and if you water at night and leave that lawn wet, it could get a fungus disease. The other thing is, don’t water every day. Your lawn really needs an infrequent watering. Two or three times a week is better than watering every day. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your lawn receives one inch of water a week, depending on where you live and what type of grass you have.

KEVIN: And what’s the best way to make sure that you’re getting just one inch of water?

ROGER: Well, it can be as complicated as an electric device tied into an irrigation system or as simple as a rain gauge. And even simpler, when you go to water, put out an empty coffee can. After the watering is done, measure the amount of water in that can and that’ll help you figure out how much water you’re putting down.

KEVIN: Sounds good.

TOM: I like the coffee can system. That works well. Very simple.

Roger Cook, Kevin O’Connor, thanks for stopping by The Money Pit.

KEVIN: Decaf coffee can or caffeinated coffee can? (Tom chuckles)

ROGER: I prefer a decaf.

KEVIN: French roast?

TOM: Yep. (chuckles)

ROGER: French roast?

LESLIE: That’s great advice.

Hey, if you want some more lawn-watering tips, there’s a great step-by-step video on just that at ThisOldHouse.com. Now This Old House is sponsored by The Home Depot; The Home Depot – more saving, more doing.