The Best Time to Water Grass in the Midwest

Posted on November 12, 2025

Expert Lawn Watering Advice for Every Season

Watering your grass seems simple, right? Turn on the water, wait a few minutes, then turn it off. Obviously, there’s a lot more to it than that. Especially if you want a lush, drought-resistant lawn.

There’s no one-size-fits-all for watering. It depends on where you live, the season, soil composition, grass type, and more. So the experts at Kapp’s Green Lawn are giving you the expert scoop on all things watering, including the best time to water grass.

How Much Water Does Your Lawn Need?

General Rule of Thumb

Not sure how long you should water your lawn? Most Midwest lawns thrive on a couple of inches of water per week (rainfall and irrigation combined). But the purpose isn’t simply to wet the grass. You want that water to penetrate down deep into the soil, 6 to 8 inches, where it’ll reach the roots.

Shallow watering leads to shallow roots, which aren’t capable of reaching water during dry spells. On the flip side, deep watering encourages healthy roots to develop. The result? A more resilient lawn.

So what’s the best way to get the ideal amount of water for your grass? Cycle and soak. Rather than just running your sprinkler system once for a long time, each zone should run for 15-20 minutes. Right after that first cycle, the system is programmed to run again, creating the “soak” effect.

It’s an effective strategy because the soil soaks up that first wave of water, has a brief break, and then can take on more during the second cycle. This encourages deeper root growth and saves water that would otherwise run off.

Grass Type Matters

For cool-season grasses in the Midwest, like Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, and ryegrass, they love to drink up water. They need more frequent watering because they didn’t evolve to handle summer temperatures in the triple-digits. Keep this in mind, especially during summer heat waves.

Warm-season grasses such as Bermuda, St. Augustine, zoysia, and other grasses in the South are ready for extreme temperatures and droughts. In fact, that’s why they need less frequent watering compared to their northern cousins.

When Is the Best Time to Water Grass?

When it comes to watering, timing is everything. Some times of the day are really beneficial. Others…not so much.

The absolute best time of day to water grass? In the early morning, between 5 and 10 a.m. That’s because after the sun comes up, plants start absorbing water from the soil. You want to make water available to your grass when they want it the most. That means sunrise and shortly after that point.

Three more reasons?

There’s also usually less wind in the morning.
Your grass won’t lose as much moisture to evaporation.
Water pressure is stronger in the morning, meaning better sprinkler coverage.

The early evening, between 4 and 6 p.m. is an acceptable time to water as well. It should be your backup option though since there’s a slight risk of fungal growth when you water at this time.

Falling temperatures at night lead to dew condensing on every available surface, like grass blades. If it’s too much for plants to absorb, the grass is at risk of disease, fungus, and lawn pests.

Lastly, try to avoid watering grass in the middle of the day, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. You’re pretty much wasting money and water. After all, hotter temperatures equal more rapid evaporation and less water for the grass to actually use.

How Often to Water the Lawn?

We’ve already shared winter lawn care advice, but here’s the scoop on watering. Frequency makes a big difference. You may be surprised to learn that deep, infrequent watering is the best approach. Don’t just water your lawn lightly every day. Water deeply 2 to 3 times per week. This encourages deeper root growth and a healthier lawn overall.

However, you should stay flexible with your watering schedule. Rainfall, drought conditions, and local water restrictions can cause homeowners in the Midwest to instantly switch up how often they give their grass a drink. So really pay attention to the weather and how your lawn looks!

Are You Watering Too Little?

When grass is happy, it looks good. When it’s thirsty, it doesn’t. It changes color from bright green to a dull green or gray or the blades start curling up. It also won’t spring back up after you step on it. That means you’ll see your footprints after walking across the yard. In general, when you don’t water enough, your lawn just looks tired.

Are You Watering Too Much?

You may be trying your best to achieve the ideal lawn, but drowning your grass won’t help. Seriously, you can have too much of a good thing. And overwatering creates problems like puddles, mushrooms, discolored grass, a squishy feel underfoot, and runoff.

How to See If You’re Watering Enough

Use a Tuna Can

Set up empty tuna cans (or similar shallow containers) around your lawn, then let the sprinklers run. When you’ve collected about 1 inch of water in the cans, you’ve watered enough. This also lets you know if you’re getting even coverage.

Do the Screwdriver Test

After watering your grass, try pushing a screwdriver into the soil. It should go in 6 to 8 inches without much resistance. If it’s difficult to push into the ground, the water isn’t penetrating deep enough.

Try the Flow Rate or Timer Method

If you’re a math person, calculate your sprinkler’s gallons per minute (GPM) and then match that with the square footage of your lawn. With the sprinkler running at full pressure, see how long it takes to fill a container of a known volume. Then calculate the GPM with this formula: (Number of Gallons / Seconds) x 60 = GPM. It takes more work, but it gives you more precise information.

Seasonal Lawn Watering Guide

Watering In Spring

As the weather warms up, your lawn makes the switch to more active growth. Change your sprinkler system schedule based on local weather patterns and your lawn’s specific needs.
Spring often brings rain, so you might only need to irrigate if you’ve gone 5+ days without precipitation. Watch for new growth. That’s your signal that things are ramping up.

Watering In Summer

Longer days, hotter weather, and less rainfall mean the lawn requires more water than at any other time of the year. Hot weather cranks up evaporation rates, so you need to water early and deeply to compensate.
Watch for signs of heat stress. Scorching temperatures can turn the soil surface hard or crusty (making water absorption difficult) or cause cool-season grasses to go dormant. This can make some areas become too wet while others don’t seem to get enough water because it runs off.
If you notice problems like soggy spots or runoff, you may want to consider aerating your lawn or calling in a professional to help with compaction.

Watering In Fall

As temperatures drop, evaporation rates slow down. In essence, your lawn requires less water. The cooler weather, shorter days, and any increased rainfall mean you can lessen the frequency of your sprinkler system’s schedule.
Pay attention to the weather forecast, but also pay attention to your lawn. In fall, that’s your best guide to watering.

Watering In Winter

Yes, you can keep watering in winter occasionally to keep the grass roots healthy. However, that’s only if it’s consistently above 40°F.
Also remember to winterize your sprinkler system to keep it safe. This would include draining as much water as possible from the system and insulating any pipes that are exposed to prevent damage from freezing temps.
Of course, when temperatures are below 40°F, there’s no need to water. This would only lead to damaging your grass and irrigation equipment.

Watering New vs. Established Lawns

New Grass (Seed/Sod)

When you put down new seed or sod, your grass will need a lot of attention. Start it on the right foot by misting 1 or 2 times daily until germination kicks in. Depending on the type of grass, that typically happens within 10 days.

Once your new grass gets to about 3 inches in height, scale back your waterings to twice per week. The idea here is to gradually get your new grass ready for a normal watering schedule.

Established Lawns

This is clearly the easier watering routine. Simply follow that 1 to 2 inches per week rule we mentioned earlier. Again, it’s to get those roots reaching deep down, which only happens with less frequent waterings. In fact, your established lawn honestly prefers a more hands-off approach.

Different Soil Types = Different Watering

Clay soil holds water for longer, meaning you can water less often but need to water much more slowly to prevent runoff. In other words, clay doesn’t absorb quickly, so patience is a virtue.

Sandy soil almost does the opposite of clay. It drains quickly. Really quickly. You’ll have to water more frequently, but less at a time.

Loamy soil is the sweet spot. You’re lucky if this is your soil type! It offers a great balance between drainage and water retention. This lets you mainly follow normal watering guidelines without changing it up too often.

Avoid These Typical Lawn Watering Mistakes

Watering too often leads to shallow roots and weak grass.
Watering at the wrong time of day wastes water and invites disease. Morning is the best time to water grass, and the middle of the day is the worst.
Breaking local watering restrictions can lead to fines and isn’t exactly neighborly. Check your municipality for any restrictions.
Not adjusting for grass type, soil, or season means not adapting to your environment. Pay attention and keep your routine up-to-date.
Poor or non-uniform coverage is usually caused by improper positioning of the sprinkler heads, flawed design, or broken parts. If some spots are dry and some are flooding, something in your system is not right. A professional can diagnose and repair coverage issues so your lawn receives the proper amount of water in all spots.

5 Tips for Saving Water

Apply mulch around lawn edges and trees to help retain moisture and reduce evaporation.
Install a rain sensor on your sprinkler system. This automatically turns it off when there’s rainfall.
Use drip irrigation for garden beds, potted plants, or areas of the landscape. This system delivers water directly to plant roots and reduces evaporation and waste.
Switch over to smart controllers that use real-time weather data to control your sprinkler system. They make sure your lawn gets just the right amount of water, so less is wasted in the process.
If you have compacted soil or heavy clay, aerate your lawn to help improve the absorption of water.

FAQs About Lawn Watering

What is the best sprinkler system for my lawn size?

An irrigation system designed specifically for your property is best. This ensures better water coverage, increased efficiency, and the ability to adapt uniquely to your landscape’s characteristics while improving lawn health overall. Very rarely does one-size-fits-all work with irrigation.

How do I know if I’m watering too much or too little?

Overwatering can lead to yellow or brown patches, bare spots, and mushrooms. Underwatering might create grass with a dull, grayish color and not bounce back as quickly when stepped on.

Can I skip watering if it rains?

Absolutely. Check your rain gauge for how much rain you got, then adjust accordingly. If you got a good soaking, let your sprinklers take a break.

What are the signs of drought stress in grass?

Footprints that don’t disappear, blades that fold or curl, and that telltale blue-gray tint all indicate your grass is stressed and needs water soon.

How do I water during watering restrictions?

Focus on deep, infrequent watering on your allowed days. Make every single watering count by letting the water penetrate deeply.

Reach Out to the Experts for Your Lawn Care!

Now that you know the best time to water grass (and so much more), you should also realize that the best time to call the irrigation professionals at Kapp’s Green Lawn is today! We proudly serve communities in the Midwest, ensuring high-quality lawn care services in these areas: