Watering Schedule

Grass Seed Watering

1. Water newly seeded lawn thoroughly. You will need to soak at least the top 6 inches of soil when doing the first watering. You should lightly water the area several times, allowing a break between each watering so that the water may have time to saturate the soil. It is important not to create puddles when watering. Puddles will cause run off and loss of seed.
2. Lawns need to be watered at least twice daily for the first three weeks, however three waterings per day would be ideal. It is important not to water during the heat of the day, as the sun will just evaporate the water. At this time, you will need to keep your lawn moist, but not soggy.
3. Once grass begins to grow, you can gradually reduce the frequency of watering to once a day, depending upon weather conditions and precipitation. Water will improve the health and quality of your grass. That's why it is important to stay on schedule with your watering.
4. Apply fertilizer about six weeks.
5. Allow grass to grow to height of 4 inches before mowing it for the first time. During your first mowing, cut your grass down from 4 inches to 3. Make sure the blade on your lawnmower is sharp and the lawn is dry for best results.
6. Pull weeds until grass has been mowed at least twice. After the second mowing, it should be safe to apply weed control.

Sod Watering

After sod has been laid, you will need to follow a sod watering plan. During the first week, sod will need to be watered twice daily for 20 minutes. Following the first week, sod will need to be watered once per day for about 15-20 minutes for the next 2-3 weeks. Sod should not be allowed to dry out until it is well established in the soil.

After the sod is rooted in the soil, it will need to be watered twice per week for about 30 minutes. After some time has passed, you may gradually reduce the watering to once per week for about 45 minutes.

The evening is the best time to water your sod. Evaporation is slower during night hours so the sod will absorb the water more efficiently.

Tree Watering

Watering frequency will depend upon daily rainfall, temperature, soil type and time of year. You should periodically check the soil when deciding when to water. Once per week is usually adequate, but if the soil ever becomes drier than a damp sponge, you should increase the frequency. Do not water if the soil is already wet. A few heavy, deep waterings are better than several light, shallow waterings.

The evening is the best time to water your tree. Evaporation is slower during night hours so your tree will absorb the water more efficiently.

Watering Plants

When watering plants, it is best to water in the early morning instead of the heat of the day or in windy weather. You should always check soil moisture prior to watering so as not to over saturate the soil. Mulch on the surface can help conserve moisture, control weeds and maintain soil temperature. Watering shrubs and trees at their drip line will prevent crown and root disease. The drip line is the area below the outermost reaches of the branches.