Lawn Watering the Right Way
Colorado’s watering restrictions mean your lawn only has a couple opportunities each week to get the moisture it needs. The good news? How you water is just as important as how often you water. A few simple changes to your watering routine can help your lawn absorb more water, develop deeper roots, and reduce the risk of disease all while making the most of every watering day.
The best time to water is early in the morning, ideally between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Your goal is for the grass to be mostly dry by 9:00–10:00 a.m. Watering overnight minimizes evaporation, allowing more water to reach the soil. However, if the lawn remains wet well into the morning and temperatures begin to rise, prolonged moisture on the grass blades can create ideal conditions for fungal and bacterial diseases.
Use the Soak-and-Cycle Method For Watering Your Lawn
One of the biggest watering mistakes homeowners make is trying to apply all their water at once. Dry or compacted Colorado soils often can’t absorb large amounts of water quickly. Instead, the excess water runs down the sidewalk, into the street, or pools in low areas, wasting water that never reaches your lawn’s roots. The Soak and Cycle Method gives the soil time to absorb water before applying more, resulting in deeper watering and healthier roots.
If You Have an Automatic Sprinkler System
Rather than watering each zone continuously for 30–60 minutes, allow your sprinkler controller to cycle through all of your zones twice.
- First Cycle: Water each zone for 15–20 minutes
- Second Cycle: After every zone has completed the first cycle, run each zone again for 15–20 minutes
- If you’re only watering twice each week: Increase the second cycle to 30–40 minutes for a deeper soak.
The first cycle moistens the soil surface and begins saturating the ground. During the time your controller waters the remaining zones, the first zone has a chance to absorb that moisture. When the second cycle begins, water can penetrate deeper into the root zone instead of running off the surface. Properties with slopes, heavy clay, or compacted soil may benefit from dividing watering into three shorter cycles
If You Use a Manual Sprinkler
The same principle applies. Instead of watering one area for an extended period, water in shorter intervals.
For watering each section of your lawn:
- Water for 15–20 minutes
- Move the sprinkler to another section for 15–20 minutes
- Return to the original area for another 15–20 minutes
Giving the soil time to absorb the first watering before adding more allows moisture to move deeper into the root zone while reducing runoff
Make Every Drop Count with Revive
Even with proper watering, Colorado’s drought conditions and compacted soils can make it difficult for water to penetrate deeply enough to benefit your lawn.
Our Revive program applications help your lawn make the most of every watering by improving how water moves through the soil.
Benefits of Revive in Your Lawn
- Improves water penetration
- Reduces runoff
- Loosens compacted soil
- Holds moisture longer
- Eliminates dry spots
- Encourages deeper root growth
- Promotes a healthier, greener lawn
With watering limited to just two days each week, Revive helps every watering go further.
Call Autumn Tree Lawn & Landscape at 303-868-3164 to schedule your treatment.