Do I need to water my lawn in winter?

Thanks to Linda Ritzen for this great question!

Should we water our lawn in winter? The grass is dormant, but the roots are growing slightly. Some water is a good thing to do to ensure a healthy return in spring. Usually rainfall is enough to see us through.

If it doesn’t rain (or snow!), watering depends on many factors. Heavy clay soil holds water much longer than sandy soil. The best test is to stick a spade down a few inches to see if there’s any moisture.

If you cut your lawn severely last fall or mow it in winter so that top growth is very short, it will dry out faster. Even in winter, it’s best to leave our grass tall.

Most of the time we don’t need to water in winter, but if things are really dry, once a month should take care of it.