Lawn Watering Tips for Phoenix, AZ
Did you know Phoenix faces an average of 300 days of sunshine each year? That’s a lot of heat! If you have a lawn in the Valley of the Sun, you already know there’s a lot to consider when trying to maintain a healthy greenspace. Naturally occurring soil types, regional weather patterns, time of year, and even local water usage restrictions can make lawn maintenance in Phoenix, AZ complicated. With this guide, we’ll give you the knowledge and tips you need to know to create the best plan for taking care of your grass all year long.
For more localized watering tips, visit our growing list of regional best practices to discover how to achieve the healthy, greenest lawn of your dreams anywhere in the US.
List of Tips
With so many factors to consider when planning your annual lawn maintenance routine in Arizona, you may be feeling the heat in more ways than one. This guide will give you the knowledge and confidence to grow your dream lawn! We will also summarize any water conservation regulations for the area.
Smart irrigation systems like Irrigreen are committed to reducing excess water usage while automating the lawn maintenance and watering process. Weather monitoring, precision watering patterns, and soil moisture calculation bring ease to lawn care, letting you kick back and cool off.
Best Time of Day to Water Lawns in Phoenix
The first place to start in constructing a lawn care routine is knowing the time of day to start your watering schedule. In Phoenix, daily temperatures rise quickly, leading to the hottest days on average in any major U.S. city. It is best practice to water when the temperatures are cooler, before the sunrise. Between 5am and 8am is the best time of day to water your lawn because the grass has enough time to soak into the roots, preventing quick evaporation and promoting strong root growth. Throughout the day, your soil has enough time to dry, preventing weeds or fungal diseases. Allowing water to fully absorb into the soil, quenching grass, gives sufficient period of time to dry out before watering again. This encourages a healthy growth cycle for any type of warm-season grass.
Worst Time of Day to Water Lawns in Phoenix
For the most efficient watering schedule, avoid watering during the sunniest, hottest time of day – typically 12pm to 4pm. Under direct sunlight, rapid evaporation can occur, preventing proper absorption of water and requiring an increase of water usage. Watering after the sun goes down may prevent evaporation, but soil needs some time to dry. Watering at night can lead to an oversaturation of the soil causing weeds, fungal diseases and environment for damaging pests.
How Long to Water a Lawn in Phoenix
Now that we’ve established the best time of day to run your sprinkler system, let’s go over how frequently you should be watering. We’ll go over general guidelines for watering in this section, but keep reading for specific tips unique for different parts of the year.
On average, watering once every 3 days is ideal. Most warm-season species of grasses need 1-1.25” water per week, so you can set your sprinklers to run 20-30 minutes at a time. Rain gauges, soil moisture sensors, and smart irrigation controllers are tools that can help calculate how much water is needed each week depending on any weather changes. The Irrigreen Digital Sprinkler System lets you set your watering schedules based on inches, rather than time, getting you the precise amount of water needed to achieve 1-1.25” per week.
Regularly check water conservation updates for the city of Phoenix, and stay informed about mandatory restrictions in place during droughts and emergencies. According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, the benefits to voluntary conservation include cost savings, environmental preservation, and a decrease in energy use. Smart irrigation systems incorporate precision watering patterns and weather monitoring software to make water conservation automatic while still enjoying a lush green space.
Grass Types for Phoenix
Thanks to Arizona’s desert climate, Phoenix continues to rank as the hottest city in the U.S. Selecting a warm-season species of grass will be the most tolerant of extreme sunlight and will remain healthy through drought conditions.
In researching grass types, you may see bermudagrass regularly top the lists for best grass to plant in southern states. This is thanks to years of research proving time and time again that bermudagrass grows fast, thrives in direct sunlight, and is durable enough to withstand lots of foot traffic. This is the perfect grass if you plan on spending lots of time outdoors, soaking up the sun! This drought-resistant grass type requires as little as .5” of water per week, but you will see the best results with 1-1.25” of water per week. Be prepared to mow frequently, as bermudagrass does grow quickly and should stay between 1.5-2.5” in height.
Like to live life - literally - made in the shade? Palmetto St. Augustine grass is another great choice for lawns in Phoenix. This variation of the broader St. Augustine species is another type of warm-season grass that is shade and cold tolerant on top of withstanding droughts and extreme heat. This grass grows slower than bermudagrass, so it may take a little more time to see a full, luscious lawn after laying the sod or after a dormant period, but only requires a moderate amount of maintenance. Experts recommend giving Palmetto St. Augustine grass 1” of water per week and keeping the height between 1.5-2”.
Caring for your Soil Type
The main type of soil found in the state of Arizona is a clay soil called Casa Grande, named after the city. In order to understand how to plant and care for grass in Casa Grande soil, we must first understand the characteristics that make this type of soil unique from other classifications in the U.S.
Soil across Arizona is notoriously hard in texture and density due to the high clay contents, excess amounts of calcium carbonate, and saltiness. These characteristics can irritate the pH levels and lead to difficult growing conditions for your grass. However, aerating your lawn in the springtime will help break up the density of your soil, allowing oxygen and water to better penetrate the deeper layers of Casa Grande, softening the dirt and creating space for proper nutrients to soak into the grass roots. Deep watering will also help rinse out the levels of salt, neutralizing the pH levels. Regular fertilizing and irrigation will help keep the state soil of Arizona a healthy landscape for warm-season grasses.
Seasonal Watering Tips: Year-round Lawn Care in Phoenix
In a desert climate such as Phoenix, the lawn care season differs from other regions in the country that don’t experience as much heat. It’s difficult to plant grass seed in the peak of summer, so starting your annual lawn care routine in the mild winter months is best.
Between November and March, regular fertilizing with slow-release formulas is required to keep the soil healthy for your grass. It’s best to apply fertilizer every 6 weeks on average. During this time, warm-season grasses don’t need as much water since rapid evaporation is less common during colder months. November through March, you’ll only need to water 1-1.25” every 2-3 weeks.
As it starts to heat up, gradually ramp up the frequency in which you run your sprinklers. Dormant grass begins to turn green again, which is the right time to dethatch a layer of built up leaves, dead grass, or debris. Aeration will also help water, nutrients, and oxygen penetrate the deep layers of your soil. With regularly mowing and watering throughout the spring, your lawn is given a few months of growing before beating the heat.
If you’re establishing new sod, the best time of year to grow is early to mid-May. This time of year allows deep roots to grow healthily with fertilizer applied.
Conclusion and Takeaway
Creating the best lawn care routine for your space in Phoenix can seem complicated when considering all the factors that contribute to a healthy lawn. By following these tips and guidelines based on grass and soil types, maintaining a brag-worthy lawn is simple. With smart irrigation systems and precision sprinklers, like Irrigreen, achieving your dream lawn is even easier.
