Unsure How Long To Water Your Lawn? Try This Empty Tuna Can Hack

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When it comes to watering lawns, many folks nervously err on the side of wanting to give their grass frequent drinks. However, you may want to think twice about watering your lawn every day. In fact, watering your lawn daily is a lawncare myth you can stop believing. Overwatering can cause just as many, if not more, issues than underwatering. But, beyond frequency, proper lawncare protocol involves picking the right time of day to water, as well as providing your lawn with the correct amount of water each session. If you are unsure how long to water your lawn, you can try this empty tuna can hack to ensure you have perfect timing.

Utilizing this empty tuna can hack can tell you how much water is actually hitting your grass while you are watering. Most grass types should receive 1 to 1.5 inches each week. By monitoring the levels in the can, you will be able to tell how long you need allow your sprinklers to go in order to achieve this level. From that point on, you will be able to time your watering sessions to ensure you give your lawn enough water without overdoing it.

Using this tuna can hack is quite simple. To start, gather up a handful of empty tuna cans, peel off the labels, and rinse them. Although the original video with this hack posted on TikTok by @beardedlawndude doesn't include removing the labels, this can prevent you from having soggy tuna can labels in your lawn later. It is also helpful to make a mark at .5 and 1 inch with a permanent marker. This will make it easier to judge the amount of water in each can from a distance.

Next, set the cans throughout your lawn. If you are using a permanent sprinkler system, stagger them through different parts of the yard. If you are using a portable sprinkler such as the Aqua Joe oscillating sprinkler, place them in the water spray at various distances from the sprinkler. Once you've got the tuna cans in place, turn on the water, mark the time, and wait. Check the cans periodically to see how much water has accumulated. Once the water level reaches the 1 inch mark, turn off the water, and check the time again.

Now that you know how long it takes for your sprinklers to disperse an inch of water over your lawn, you can set about making your watering schedule. If you are watering once per week, then utilize the full amount of time it took to get an inch of water in the cans. Split the time in half for twice-a-week waterings and divide by three if watering three times per week, which is the maximum amount of sessions most lawncare experts recommend. Additionally, make sure you are consistent with the level of water you are dispersing in each water session.