Repeat this cycle several times until the soil is wet to a depth of 6 inches. Before beginning an irrigation program, homeowners should consider the amount of time, labor, and water required to maintain a lush green lawn. Once you begin to water a lawn, it should be continued throughout the dry period. It is more stressful for the turf to begin a watering program and then stop because the water bill was too expensive than it would have been to have gone dormant naturally. An application of 1 inch of water to 1,000 square feet of lawn requires 640 gallons of water.
Sprinklers are the best way to irrigate turf.
Irrigation equipment varies from a sprinkler head attached to a hose to an underground sprinkler system. Hand watering is impractical and not recommended. Winds are generally light and temperatures cool so very little water is lost through evaporation. As the dry weather continues, consider existing soil and lawn conditions, cost and labor involved, and your expectations when deciding whether or not to irrigate the turf this summer. Iowa State University , Ames, Iowa.