We’ve had a good stretch of rain lately, and that’s one of the best things that can happen for your landscape.

Right now, your soil is fully charged with deep moisture, which gives you a rare opportunity to set your plants up for long-term success.

Instead of turning your sprinklers back on out of habit, this is the time to pause and let the soil naturally dry down. That simple shift is what encourages deeper, stronger root systems and a landscape that can handle the heat much better as we move into summer.

Why keeping sprinklers off as long as possible in between rain makes for a healthier landscape

Roots grow where the water is. When you water frequently and lightly (on a schedule), moisture stays near the surface, and that’s where roots remain.

But when you allow the soil to dry between waterings, roots are pushed to grow deeper in search of moisture, creating a stronger, more stable plant.

We're training our plants to develop deeper root systems

Deep roots are what make a landscape resilient. Plants with deeper root systems can tap into stored moisture below the surface, which helps them handle heat, drought, and stress far better during the long Texas summer.

If you rush to turn your sprinklers back on after these rains, you are training your landscape to have shallow, thirsty root systems.

Your goal is to wait as long as possible between rains to irrigate your lawn in order to promote healthy, deep root systems that require less water.

North Texans overwater their landscapes and it's a problem

Overwatering creates more problems than it solves. Constant irrigation reduces oxygen in the soil, encourages disease, and can lead to root rot and weak overall plant performance.

There is no such thing as a "watering schedule"

Our landscapes and lawns require water when rain is scarce, not on a schedule. A sprinkler system is for supplying our landscape with water when rainfall isn't sufficient to support it. I rarely run my sprinklers, and my lawn stays green all summer long.

When to turn sprinklers back on

Right now, your soil is full of moisture from recent rains. Turning on your sprinklers too soon interrupts the natural drying cycle and keeps roots shallow. Waiting as long as possible to turn on sprinklers is what trains your landscape to become more self-sufficient.

The good news is that you don't have to guess

If you sign up for emails from Waterisawesome.com, you will receive a weekly email that tells you whether or not you need to water your turf or permanent plantings like trees, shrubs and perennials.

The emails will also tell you HOW to water properly.

IMPORTANT: The Waterisawesome.com watering advice does NOT apply to vegetable gardens, anything recently planted, or containers. It is for permananent landscape plants.

📖 The 2026 North Texas Garden Planner is your summer gardening companion

The planner is packed with great advice like you're getting in this email. It includes exact seeding dates, how many plants per person you need for specific vegetables (no more over- or under-planting!), and weekly to-do lists so you always know what’s next.

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April is one of the busiest months in the garden, but trust me, a little effort now means a whole lot of payoff later. Enjoy the season, and happy planting!

Callie