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Water wars on the lawnWater use and consumption have become an issue of grand concern in several communities. When to use, how to use, and how much to pay for water have all been questions raised around the topic by city officials and residents. But there is also a debate happening on the front lawn of many homes. Last summer a call came into the Extension Office from a woman who happened to be married to a man who believed in watering the yard at high noon. Now whether this woman was more interested in getting accurate, researched based information; or winning a debate with her husband is not for me to decide. I'm a horticulturist, not a marriage counselor. So here are the facts about irrigating your grass during summer months; and I'll let you decide which spouse won the war. The middle of the day is when a lawn is working the hardest. So it makes sense that replenishing the turf with a cool drink will help prevent heat stress. Not only is the soil losing water to evaporation, but the plant is losing moisture through transpiration. This is the term used to describe the water lost directly from the leaf surface. If it is apparent that the grass blades are beginning to fold or roll, then a watering may be in order. A common misconception is that watering during high heat and light conditions will burn the grass. The water does not actually burn the grass. What causes damage are the high levels of salts found in some irrigation waters. After the water has evaporated, the salts are left behind. The salt is what will result in burned or scorched spots on the leaf. While it is not harmful to water the grass in the middle of the day, it is absolutely the most inefficient time to irrigate. At least 20 percent of the water applied to the grass will evaporate before it has a chance to be absorbed by the soil. Plants can not absorb water through the leaf surface; water must reach the roots to provide any benefit. Mid-day is also the time when the most water is being consumed by a community, which will effect the level of water pressure. A sprinkler system is designed to cover a specific area of lawn. If pressure is not available, there will be areas of the grass that are missed. The most efficient time to water grass is early morning or late evening. During these times there will be more available water pressure, and usually there is less wind to interfere with sprinkler heads. A benefit of early morning watering is a lower chance of fungus and disease occurring on a lawn. The longer that the grass stays wet, the better chance a fungus has to take hold. By overlapping irrigation with the period when dew is present on the lawn; the risk is greatly reduced. 
The length of irrigation cycles can also be adjusted to minimize waste. If run-off is occurring, which is excess water from the lawn draining into the street; an intermittent cycle should be used. For instance if the sprinkler is set to run for 30 minutes, and at the 20 minute mark water is running down the street; two 15 minutes cycles with a 10 minute break in between could be helpful. It is great to take care of the lawn and have pride in your home landscape. But it is necessary to be smart and efficient at the same time. If you have more questions about becoming a water wise gardener contact the OSU Extension Service at 405-713-1125. 6/30/08 Date: 6/23/08
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