How Often Do I Water My Lawn In Illinois?

Since it's going to be incredibly hot the next few days in Illinois, let's make sure we're hydrated, our plants get a good drink, and our grass isn't desert dry.

Since I don't own a house or have the responsibility of keeping up on landscaping or yard work, I never think about whether the grass should be watered or not.

For a lot of homeowners, their pride and joy is having a gorgeous, well-kept yard. There's really no handbook on how to keep your grass healthy, but watering it every once in a while could make a major difference!

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How Often Should You Really Water Your Lawn In Illinois?

According to the guidelines provided by the Lake County Health Department in Illinois, a typical lawn requires 1-1.5 inches of water/week, including rainfall.

It's really easy to overwater, so make sure to water deeply 6-8 inches, but infrequently so the grass roots grow deeper and become more resilient.

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The best and most efficient ways to watering your lawn:

1. Monitor rainfall. Don't water the lawn if rains are expected soon. Keep track of rainfall with your rain gauge. Don't apply more water than what is necessary.

2. Water early in the day when lawns are normally wet from dew. Avoid midday watering due to evaporation & at night from potential increased chances of some diseases.

3. Water every 5-7 days (if no rain). Soaking rain can extend the period to 10-14 days.

It's funny, my dad always waters his lawn in the summer at around 10pm and I thought he was crazy for it... until I learned it's a smart move!