The One Lawn Job Experts Think You Shouldn’t Skip This May – and Why It Transforms Growth for the Rest of Summer
As much of the US is seeing drought conditions, professionals recommend watering the lawn this month
Spring showers usually provide enough natural rainfall to give a lawn the water it needs to strengthen itself for the summer. However, as large parts of the US are experiencing drought conditions this May, lawn experts recommend watering your grass to give it the moisture it needs this spring.
It is estimated that almost two-thirds of the US is seeing drought conditions this May. As early-season watering is key for ensuring deep root growth and a lawn that can survive warm summers, giving your lawn at least one inch of water once or twice a week this spring can stand it in good stead for the rest of the season.
For some, lawn care won’t top their priorities at this time of year. However, many homeowners aspire for a neat, healthy summer lawn and will want to start watering their lawns in spring to make those dreams a reality. I spoke with professionals about May lawn care and why they consider watering a crucial task for this month, especially this year.
Article continues belowWhy Is It Important to Water a Lawn in May?
A lush, healthy summer lawn is the result of good spring lawn care. A good regime often includes aerating, dethatching, feeding, weeding, and starting mowing the lawn in spring.
Watering also ranks among the most important factors, as it has a large overall impact on lawn health. However, sufficient moisture is often provided naturally through spring showers, depending on your location and climate.
This year, though, more homeowners across the US may need to water their lawns this month due to the widespread drought, which is especially affecting the West and the Southeast.
‘In May, as much of the country is experiencing worsening drought conditions, it’s most important to supplement the small amounts of rain with long, deep waterings,’ claims Theresa Smith, SVP at NaturaLawn of America.
‘Not only does this give your lawn the water it needs at that moment, but it also encourages deep root growth, which will strengthen it for the summer weather conditions,’ adds the lawn expert.
Supplemental watering may be needed to give a lawn the inch or two of water it needs weekly. Even if you get some rainfall, it can be beneficial to check the moisture levels two inches under the soil surface to see if the grass needs more water.
You can get a soil moisture meter on Amazon that will give you instant results on the moisture levels in the ground. Or get a rain gauge (like this outdoor rain gauge at Walmart) to tell you how much natural rainfall you have received.
How Often Should You Water a Lawn in May?
A lawn needs at least an inch of water per week for healthy growth. A lack of moisture or irregular watering can cause thinning or bare patches, crushing any dreams of a green, thick lawn.
Taking time to water the grass as required this month offers long-term benefits. As Justin Wilson, the owner of American Irrigation, claims: ‘Proper irrigation coverage and scheduling can help restore healthy grass growth while preventing future patchy spots.
‘This is helpful in the maintenance of lawns, especially in May, before it gets too hot and scalds the grass.’
The inch of water is best provided through deep, infrequent soakings once or twice a week. Avoid shorter, more frequent waterings, as this causes the lawn to have a shallow root system, and come summer, the grass is more vulnerable during periods of heat and drought.
‘Longer but infrequent waterings encourage deep root growth, which strengthens the root system and allows the grass to store the nutrients and water it needs to survive summer’s high temperatures,’ explains Theresa.
‘An added benefit of these longer waterings? Your grass gets water instead of the weeds,’ she adds. ‘Because weeds typically have more shallow roots, they reap the benefits of short, frequent watering sessions. If you water longer and less frequently, your healthy grass will be better equipped to choke out the weeds in your lawn.’
Justin Wilson recommends sprinklers as the ‘best solution’ for the lawn, because ‘they’re designed to evenly water large turf areas’. To ensure even, widespread coverage when you water your garden with a sprinkler, he advises checking that sprinkler heads are not clogged and ensuring they reach all sections of the grass.
Two Other Key Parts of May Lawn Care
A good May lawn care regimen needs to incorporate other regular tasks, as well as watering. So, what tasks do lawn maintenance professionals think are a must for your spring gardening checklist?
Jason McCausland, National Technical Coordinator at Weed Man, says that mowing the lawn in spring ranks up there with watering as a crucial May lawn care task to encourage a lush, healthy lawn.
‘I think having a regular watering and mowing schedule, mowing to the proper height for your area, and keeping your mower blades sharp are the most important maintenance habits you can adopt to set your lawn up for success for the year ahead,’ says Jason.
‘Mowing and watering can have a huge impact on the overall health of the lawn. A lack of water or mowing too short might leave you with no lawn at all.’
If you haven’t done it yet this year, May can also be a good time to fertilize a lawn. Brian Feldman, Senior Director of Field Operations at TruGreen, says the combination of ‘proper mowing, watering, and fertilization’ reaps rewards.
‘This trio of tasks helps create a dense lawn that makes it hard for weeds to root and thrive on their own,’ he says.
‘Fertilization is a key task to encourage strong growth before summer heat,’ adds Brian. ‘It gives your lawn a critical nutrient boost as it comes out of dormancy and promotes new blade and root growth to increase grass density and crowd out weeds naturally, improving your lawn's drought and disease resistance.’
The best fertilizer for grass in spring is a slow-release product that will provide lots of essential nutrients to the lawn for several months. One example is this Greenview lawn food at Amazon that can be applied in spring and will feed for eight weeks.
Shop Lawn Sprinklers
An oscillating sprinkler with 16 nozzles that is capable of watering large lawns, up to 3,600 sq. ft. It also has a weighted base to ensure the sprinkler remains in place.
This 360-degree rotating sprinkler has three adjustable rotating heads, each with four nozzles. It can cover 25-50 feet, depending on the PSI and the selected mode.
This sprinkler has six spray types and can cover up to 80 feet in diameter. You simply insert the hose and place the sprinkler into your lawn.
Theresa Smith from NaturaLawn of America advises watering early in the morning. Not only does watering in the cooler periods of the day stop water from being lost to evaporation, but it also prevents water from sitting on the grass overnight, which can cause disease.
While it may seem convenient to water the lawn at night, there are potential consequences, as damp grass can be an ideal environment for fungi and bacteria to thrive.
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Meet the Experts
Theresa Smith is senior vice president of NaturaLawn of America (NLA). She oversees all aspects of NLA's business operations, including corporate strategy, business vendor management, marketing and more. She first started with the family business as a marketing coordinator and quickly became passionate about their mission to be environmentally responsible.
Justin Wilson, the owner of American Irrigation Repair, is an entrepreneur, mentor, and industry leader with a passion for helping new business owners and developing skilled technicians from the ground up.
Jason is a National Technical Coordinator at Weed Man. For more than 25 years, he has been an integral member of the Weed Man family and the green industry.
Brian Feldman is a visionary leader with over 30 years of experience driving agronomic and horticultural excellence, customer service, and sustainable growth for TruGreen's U.S. and Canadian operations. As a degreed turfgrass agronomist and ISA certified arborist, he leads a team of scientific experts in delivering innovative turfgrass, horticultural and pest control solutions for residential and commercial clients. Passionate about advancing industry standards, Brian is committed to helping turfgrass and landscape care professionals maximize performance and profitability while achieving superior results.
