The Top 8 Pro Tips for watering your central Florida Lawn

How often should you water your lawn in Central Florida summer?

Great question, and honestly, this is the most common thing we help our customers get right as the temperatures warm up. You should only water lawns in central Florida once or twice a week. We recommend that you water 1/2" to 3/4" of water in a single irrigation cycle. As the summer heat hits, your grass is in its active growth period.

Should I be watering my lawn more often because of the drought in Florida?

The average annual rainfall in Volusia County is 52 inches. But, as of May 2026, Volusia County is 5 inches behind on rainfall for the first four months of the year. It's natural to want to try to make up for the rainfall deficit. But, more lawns are damaged by over-watering than by under-watering, fertilizer damage or unwanted pests. Watering your lawn less frequently will encourage the roots to grow deep into the soil making your lawn healthier and stronger.

How much should I water my lawn during the drought in Florida?

When you do water, the goal is to apply 1/2" to 3/4" inch of water per irrigation cycle. This encourages deeper root growth and prevents disease. Shaded lawns need even less. Pro tip: Regular rainfall counts against this total so adjust your sprinkler cycle accordingly to avoid over-watering.

How long should I run my sprinklers?

Most central Florida lawns are in bright sun all day. To get 3/4" of water you should typically run your sprinklers about 50 minutes a day twice a week. For a depth of 1/2" of water you can reduce the sprinkler cycle time to about 40 minutes.

Pro Tip: If you meticulously plan your sprinkler cycles, check out this cool Irrigation Calculator.

How do I know if my lawn needs watering?

If you saw our other post about your St Augustine grass looking yellow or dead then you know that St Augustine goes dormant during the winter. If you're still wondering if your lawn needs water, then let your lawn tell you. If you have any one of these three signs then you need to water.

• Leaf blades are folded over

• The grass blades have a blue-gray color

• Your footprints are visible after walking on your grass

How early should sprinklers run in Florida?

We recommend watering in the early morning. This will allow the grass blades to dry out during the day. Watering late in the afternoon or evening doesn't give the blades a chance to dry out and this can promote diseases like Brown Patch Fungus, especially in St Augustine grass.

Do I need a rain sensor on my home?

It's a good idea to have a rain sensor to easily manage how much water your lawn is getting from your sprinklers and from natural rainfall. Plus, it's the law in the State of Florida and Volusia County to require a rain sensor on all automatic irrigation systems. Volusia County has a great brochure about setting up rain sensors.

Are there any watering restrictions in Volusia County?

All of Volusia County, including residents who live inside city limits, has a Lawn Watering Schedule in effect. Between March and November, homeowners and businesses in Volusia County are limited to watering their lawn twice a week and only on these specific days:

• Odd-numbered addresses: Wednesdays and Saturdays

• Even-numbered addresses: Thursdays and Sundays

• Businesses: Tuesdays and Fridays

Pro Tip: Watering your lawn is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.