How to Water Grass With Soft Water

Soft water can be used to hydrate grass.

Soft water is better for household use than hard water, and many homeowners use water softeners to soften their hard water. However, soft water is not recommended for watering your lawn, grass or plants. Soft water contains sodium, which can build up and cause your soil to become flaky and unable to keep proper water absorption. The good news is that with some maintenance, you can use your soft water to hydrate your grass.

Things You'll Need

• At-home water test kit
• Agricultural-grade gypsum
• Water

Instructions

1. Purchase an at-home water testing kit at your local home improvement store. Check to make sure that your water is soft. If your water is hard, then you need to do nothing. Hard water is not good for indoor use, but it works well for watering lawns and gardens.

2. If your water tests soft, apply an agricultural-grade gypsum to your grass twice a year. The rate should be about 2.5 lbs. per 100 square feet. Gypsum can be purchased at farm and feed stores or garden centers nationwide.

3. Water the gypsum into your lawn thoroughly to push it down into your soil.

4. Hydrate your lawn as you usually would. The gypsum can take months to start working completely, so continue to water your lawn as usual.

References

• The University of Arizona: Water for Irrigation
• Keidel.com: Hard vs. Soft Water