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The type and slope of the soil, the fertilizer used, the amount of water needed by specific plants and grass and the efficiency of sprinklers all affect how often one needs to water.
Soil Type
Lawns on sandy soil require more frequent watering than lawns or loam or clay soils. Water can be applied less often to clay and loam soils, but it should be applied more slowly to prevent runoff.
Slope
To avoid runoff on sloping areas, place sprinklers near the top of the slope. Apply water slowly for 5-15 minutes, turn off for 15 minutes, on 5-15 minutes, etc. until the correct amount of water has been applied.
Fertilizer
A slow release nitrogen fertilizer helps plants use less water, and a lawn fertilizer with a 3-1-2 ratio of nitrogen (N) – phosphorus (P) – potassium (K), such as 15-5-10, is recommended to help grass withstand stress. Remember, each 100 pounds of 15-5-10 fertilizer contains 15 pounds of N, 5 pounds of P and 10 pounds of K. Fertilize lightly in the spring and again in early fall.
Trees, Shrubs and Groundcover
Established plantings do well in the summer when watered about once a week, especially if mulch is placed around plants. Apply enough water to wet the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches. Using low output sprinkler heads, bubblers, or drip irrigation systems help prevent runoff and are efficient ways to apply water. New plantings require more frequent watering the first two years. Consider Texas native, Water-Wise varieties when purchasing new or replacement plants.
Characteristics For Selecting Texas Turfgrass
| Grass Species |
Water Requirement |
Shade Tolerances |
Fertilizer* |
Buffalo grass |
low |
poor |
0-2 |
Bermuda grass |
moderate |
poor |
2-5 |
Centipede |
moderate |
fair |
1-2 |
Zoysia |
moderate |
good |
2-5 |
Carpet grass |
high |
fair |
1-2 |
St. Augustine |
high |
good |
2-5 |
Tall Fesque |
very high |
good |
2-5 |
Bluegrass |
very high |
good |
2-5 |
*Range in pounds of Nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. per year
When to Water Grass
Most grasses take on a dull, dark appearance and leaves begin to roll when they need water. The best time to water is early morning.
How much to water
Apply enough water to wet the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches. One to one and a half ( 1-1 1/2) inches of water is usually adequate. Use a soil probe or screwdriver to determine the depth the water actually reaches.
How to water
Use a sprinkler that emits large drops of water that remain close to the ground, not one that sprays a fine mist into the air.
Determine how much water your sprinkler applies:
Set three (3) to five (5) empty cans at different distances from the spinkler with the last can near the edge of sprinkler coverage.
Run the sprinkler for 30 minutes.
Add the inches of water in all cans and divide the total inches by the number of cans to obtain an average.
Multiply the average by two (2) to determine how many inches of water are applied in one hour.
Bermuda grass will require approximately one inch of water every fifth day in the summer. Buffalo grass needs 25% less water and St. Augustine needs about 15% more.
Remember to subtract any rainfall from the amount required to determine how much water to apply.
Information supplied by the Texas Water Development Board.
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