Overview
- Gardening groups and lawn experts are urging homeowners to water in the early morning, with the commonly cited optimum window between 6am and 10am to reduce evaporation and improve soil absorption.
- Specialists recommend deep, infrequent soaks rather than light daily sprinkling because deeper watering encourages roots to grow down and makes grass more resilient to heat and dry spells.
- Experts warn against midday watering because high temperatures cause rapid surface evaporation and against overnight watering because lingering moisture raises the risk of moss, fungal disease and pests.
- Some keen gardeners have shifted to very early routines, with reports of people waking around 5am to water as the sun rises in response to recent late‑May heat and visible lawn browning.
- Officials stress that recent browning is often a temporary dormancy response and that, with correct timing and deeper watering, recovery is likely this early in the summer but homeowners should prepare for hotter, drier weeks ahead.