Once you have planted some grass seed, you'll want to make sure that your effort pays off. For a full and healthy lawn, you need to water that new grass seed, but it's important to take a bit of time to understand how much water new grass seed requires, and when is best to water.
Like most things to do with gardening (and life..?) it's all about balance. You don't want too much water, and you don't want to risk the seeds drying out - so we have prepared this step-by-step guide to help you make the most of that effort planting grass seed, and help you get the lawn you've dreamed of.
1. Check your soil
Before you even start sowing grass seed, it's important to understand what soil quality you are dealing with. Grass seed works best with a combination of sandy soil and clay soil - this perfect mix is called loam soil.
To test your soil, the best thing to do is pick up a clump of soil and form a ball with it in your hands. If it immediately loses its shape, it's sandy soil, but if it forms a solid shape it's clay soil. Loam soil is in between the two - it will hold its shape, but when you put it down it will collapse.
Grass seed will grow in any of the three types of soil, but it will impact how often you need to water your seeds. As a general rule, if your soil is sandy you need to water little and often, whereas if your soil is clay it needs less frequent watering, but more water each time.
2. Pre-watering
Before you sow your new grass seeds, you want to make sure that you have optimal soil moisture on your new lawn. The best soil to sow seeds in is wet, but not muddy. Give it a watering a few hours before you plan to sow the seeds, and let it dry. The best test is to see if you can step on the soil without it sticking to your shoe.
3. Post-sow watering
The best time for the first watering is immediately after you sow grass seed. You just need to keep the top inch of the soil moist for now, so be careful not to use a too powerful setting on your hose - a light spray is perfect. The aim here is just to keep the seed moist to aid the germination process.
4. The first few weeks
Germination should take around 10 days for most grass species, and in that time your main job is to keep the soil moist. You can't let the seed dry out, otherwise it won't germinate and you will have wasted your time and effort. Obviously check on the weather conditions - if you are getting a lot of rain you may not need to do any watering at all, but if you are experiencing a dry spell, you need to get out there with the hose!
Keep this up, even after germination has taken place, as those new roots will require water and are equally vulnerable to drying out. However, you do have to be careful - if the soil becomes waterlogged, the new grass seeds will be suffocated, so be careful not to over water.
5. Those first grass seedlings
Those first few shoots of green popping out of the soil is a wonderful sight - and a sure sign that you are on the right track! All your hard work has been worth it!
But it's not over yet. While the main 'danger zone' for some of your new grass is over, you need to be aware that not all the seeds will have germinated - some will take longer than others. Continue watering new grass (careful to avoid overwatering), while your soil stabilises with the seedlings. You can start to water a little bit heavier now, as the new seedlings will help with drainage.
6. Small grass seedlings
More and more of your grass will start to come through over the next couple of weeks, and you just need to keep on doing what you've been doing - you're nearly there! By this stage, you'll be able to water slightly less frequently, but apply more water when you do. The garden will be draining even better as more grass seedlings come through, so will be able to cope with more water without becoming waterlogged.
7. Bigger grass seedlings
When you grass reaches a height of around 5cm, it will be able to cope with its first cut. Once you've mowed it (use a high setting and take it steady), you should give it a good watering. Try to keep up the watering every day until it needs to be cut again, and then go down to every other day.
8. How often to water your new lawn
That's it - you are now the proud owner of a new, fresh, healthy lawn. Keep watering it about once a week during the dry spells in the summer, but other than that, you can relax knowing that you have done all the hard work, and let nature do the rest.
What time of day is best to water grass seed?
If possible, try to water grass seed in the early morning, with cooler temperatures and less direct sunlight. This will give the water chance to sink into the soil. In terms of how long to water grass seed, about 5-10 minutes every day should be enough for an average sized lawn, either with a sprinkler system or by hand.
How to know if you're overwatering new grass seed
The main thing that new grass seed needs is contact with the soil. If you apply too much water before the seeds have had chance to germinate, they may float off the soil and miss their chance. So if you see water starting to pool on the soil surface, stop watering.
What grass seed is best for repairing lawns?
Try using a hard wearing grass seed if you are looking to patch up an existing lawn. You can see results in less than a week
Conclusion
Sowing grass seed to create a new lawn is a very satisfying endeavor. Turning an area of dirt into a lush green garden lawn, and watching it appear before your eyes, is something you'll remember every time you look out your window. And, as I hope we have proved, it really isn't that difficult with a little bit of planning.
Shop our Grass Seed at Gardeners Dream today, we have some excellent grass seed offers, and our extensive lawn care range will ensure you have everything you need to create your dream lawn.
