Flip-flopping between the two can weaken your lawn. If your footprints remain in the grass very long, the lawn is dry. Watering brings back the color. This amount should moisten the soil to a depth of 4 to 6 inches. If runoff is a problem, apply half and let it soak in before applying more water.
Early morning is the best time to water.
Irrigation timers should be set to water the lawn between 4 and 6 a.m. Water your lawn only as often as necessary. Applying a little bit of water daily can be harmful, since it can encourage shallow roots. This makes the grass less drought-tolerant. Stretch the interval between each watering to encourage development of deep, extensive roots.