According to the U.S. EPA, healthy, established lawns need only about one inch of water per week. Watering once per week should be sufficient in getting to the deep roots of the grass, which frequent, lighter waterings can’t always do.

To gauge how much water your lawn is getting, place a container with a one inch indicator under the sprinkler flow on your grass. You can also determine if your grass needs watering by simply stepping on it. If the grass springs back easily, it has plenty of moisture. Another test is to push a screwdriver into your lawn. If it goes down several inches, you don’t need to water.

Watch the weather. If it has just rained, you probably won’t need to leave the sprinkler on: Mother Nature took care of the watering for you. If there’s rain in the forecast, hold off to see if the clouds will open up. Another way to take advantage of the rain is to install a rain barrel, or to reposition gutters and drains to flow onto your lawn rather than into the driveway or sidewalk.

Water in the early morning or evening. Evaporation rates are highest during the middle of the day and your lawn won’t get much. Morning watering will also reduce the load on public water supplies since peak demand is usually in the evening.

Don’t mow as often. Taller grass shades the soil surface, reduces evaporation and helps prevent the
sprouting of weeds. Taller grass with longer roots will tolerate dry
conditions better than shorter grass. Besides, you’re not putting on it, so why cut it shorter than two inches? And don’t mow during the heat of the day as newly cut grass blades lose water.

Don’t forget about the sprinkler. Perhaps the biggest waste of water is leaving the sprinkler on for too long, so don’t forget to the turn the water off. Or get a timed sprinkler that will automatically shut off for you. And make sure your sprinkler fits the shape of your yard. Adjust the flow or spray so that you’re not wasting water on decks or sidewalks.

Go native. Landscape your yard with grass species or native plants that require less water.

Learn to love brown. Brown lawns don’t necessarily mean dead lawns, especially if your lawn is normally a mean, green machine. So if your area is under temporary water restrictions, relax. It’ll be okay for a couple of weeks.

More on watering your lawn smarter:

EPA Lawn Watering Fact Sheet (PDF)
National Geographic’s The Green Guide

Related articles on lawn care from GO:

Tip o’ the Day: The New "Green" Grass
Organic Lawn & Garden Care

Eco-Effective Decisions: Install a Rain Barrel and Save Your Money for a Rainy Day
Tip o’ the Day: Go Native!

Tip o’ the Day: A "Reel" Green Lawn

Have a tip you’d like to share? Submit it today.

Spring is here officially, and for many homeowners, that means its time to start thinking about the lawn. As you consider your approach to keeping the grass green, we hope you'll incorporate some greener methods of doing it!

Did you know, for instance, that a 2001 Swedish study showed that “Air pollution from cutting grass for an hour with a gasoline powered lawn mower is about the same as that from a 100-mile automobile ride.” Homeowners cranking up those gas powered machines on the weekends may create as much as 5% of the nation's air pollution.

There are alternatives, though. Electric mowers don't spew emissions themselves; of course, emissions likely do come from the power plants producing the electricity, so they may only be marginally better. Solar-powered mowers are on the market, but you'll pay a premium for them. The best (and cheapest) alternative: an old-fashioned, human-powered reel mower. These may not be practical for a really big yard, but for smaller and medium-sized lawns, they'll cut as well as a mower powered by an engine, and give you a bit more exercise in the process.

Of course, there are other options that keep you from having to mow. More on those later in the week.

Jeff says: I've been using a reel mower for five years now on my small, urban yard, and love it. It cuts well, and takes no more time than a power mower. And, I spend nothing on gas or maintenance.