Figuring out when to start watering your lawn in the Denver metro can feel like a guessing game. Turn the sprinklers on too early and you risk wasting water or encouraging weak roots. Wait too long and your grass gets stressed. The good news: a few simple guidelines tailored to the Front Range make it easy to get it right.
Weston Landscape & Design helps homeowners across the Denver area manage water wisely so lawns and plants thrive. Here is what we tell our clients about timing, amount, and working with your irrigation system.
When to Turn On Your Sprinklers in Colorado
In the Denver area, nights can still dip below freezing well into April. Water sitting in above ground pipes or sprinkler heads can freeze and crack. Plan to have your system started up only after the risk of a hard freeze has passed. That usually means late April or early May, depending on the year. A professional irrigation startup includes a full check of your system so leaks and broken heads are fixed before you rely on it.
How Much Water Your Lawn Actually Needs
Most Front Range lawns do best with about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, including rain. That is enough to soak the root zone without leaving the soil soggy. You can measure what your sprinklers put out with a simple test: set a few empty tuna cans or rain gauges around the lawn, run the system for a set time, then measure how many inches of water collected. Adjust run times so you hit that weekly total, split over two or three watering days.
Best Time of Day to Water
Water in the early morning, roughly between 4 AM and 9 AM. The air is cooler, wind is usually lighter, and the water has time to soak in before the sun gets strong. Watering in the evening can leave grass blades wet overnight and encourage fungus. Midday watering wastes water to evaporation, especially in our dry, sunny climate.
Working With Denver Area Water Rules
Many cities and water districts in the Front Range limit when you can water. Schedules often allow watering only on certain days or during set hours. Smart controllers can help by skipping cycles when it rains and spreading your weekly inches across the days you are allowed to run. Staying within the rules keeps your lawn healthy and avoids fines.
Signs You Are Over or Under Watering
- Too much water: Mushrooms, spongy spots, yellow or wilted looking grass, and more weeds.
- Too little water: Grass that folds or curls, a blue gray color, and footprints that stay visible after you walk.
Once you know when to start, how much to apply, and when to run the clock, your lawn gets what it needs and you use water wisely. If you want a pro to check your system and set you up for the season, contact us to schedule an irrigation startup or consultation.