To water your lawn properly, you need to make sure that the moisture reaches from the top of the soil to the bottom of the roots, about 8″ deep. To achieve this requires 1–2″ of water per week. A deep watering once a week is better than several shallow waterings two or three times a week.

How to Tell How Much Water Your Lawn Gets

The best way to tell how much rainwater your lawn receives is to use a rain gauge. To find out how much water your sprinkler delivers, place 5–6 empty soup cans around your yard and turn on the water. Note the time when you start and the time when the cans average about 1″ of water inside. This gives you a delivery rate for your sprinkler, so you can calculate how much water to add to your rainfall totals to satisfy the lawn’s needs.

Types of Sprinklers

Sprinklers vary in design. Three common types are shown below:

• Oscillating sprinkler: Delivers a rectangular pattern; adjusts output to various lawn sizes.
• Pulsating sprinkler: Distributes water in circular patterns, from just a narrow area up to a full 360° circle, and also lets you adjust the length of the spray.
• Soaker hose: Usually has two or three channels with small holes along the top edge of each. A soaker hose can be placed to match any contour of your lawn.