New Seeding

New Seeding Maintenance

Day 1: The very first day of watering begins
You may begin watering your new seeding after we complete your lawn renovation. Or, you may elect to wait for the very next rainfall to begin your watering regimen. Either way, your watering or a rainfall must be done long enough to saturate the soil to a depth of 3-4 inches deep. So if you only get a small rain shower, you may have to supplement this natural rainfall with water sprinklers until the soil is wet to a 3-4 inch depth. This action charges your watering “bank” and keeps water very close and available to the new grass seeds. In the hours that follow, the soil will begin to dry out from the top down. In the directions that follow, your watering practices are designed to replace the moisture that evaporates from the soil surface. Therefore the FIRST watering will last a lot longer and apply many more gallons than the successive waterings. It obviously takes more water to wet 3-4 inches of soil than the top ¼ inch layer that just dried out!

Week #1 (days 2-7)

1. Water around or before 9:00 am
2. Water again between 12:00pm to 2:00pm. If still moist, skip
3. Water again about 5:00-6:00pm

If you want to know why you’re watering this way, read on…
If days are cool or cloudy, the site shady, or soil high in clay content, the midday watering may be skipped due to slow drying of the soil surface. Just check to see if the top surface is starting to dry out. If it is, water it. Unfortunately every day is different (sunny, windy, cloudy, hot, or cool) and by checking 3 times per day, you are protecting your new seeds from the variable drying that occurs from everyday weather conditions. Your goal for the next 3 weeks is to provide moisture wherever the seed or its new root is located. If you can do this, your seeding will not fail! How much water should you apply during each of these 3 possible watering checks? Apply enough water to wet the depth of dry soil that you find. During the first 3 weeks, if the surface looks dry, water it until the surface looks wet and the 3-4 inch saturated soil profile is restored. Can’t water or check 3 times per day? If you can only water at 7am and again at 5pm, your seeding will only marginally succeed. What will that grass seed do at 1:00pm when it finally puts out that first new, tiny, fragile root that begins looking for moisture? By 5:00pm the sun has already cooked that one plant (any many more like it!), and all the watering in the world will not raise it from the dead! Purchasing a water timer or enlisting part-time help will be necessary if you want your grass seeding to work the 1st time. Otherwise, be content to receive only the grass that by chance happened to germinate, and grow its first root to soil safety during and shortly after the 7am and 5pm waterings while the soil was still moist.

Weeks #2 & #3 (days 8-21)

1. Water around or before 9:00am
2. Water again between 12:00pm to 2:00pm, if still moist, skip
3. Water again about 5:00pm

Never water just before night fall. Any new blades of grass must not stay wet through the night. Fungal diseases may attack your new seeding!

Weeks #4 through #6

1. Water around or before 9:00am
2. Water around 4:00pm

Never water just before night fall. Any new blades of grass must not stay wet through the night. Fungal diseases may attack your new seeding!

Weeks #7 and On

Water 1 time per day or every other day and wean the seeding off until you water 1-2 times per week. You may not even have to water until the grass shows the following signs:
If the grass looks grayish, or the blades do not spring back up when you walk across the lawn, it is time to water. Dry grass will show your footprints when you look back where you have just walked. From now on, your grass is old enough to get our broadleaf spray and additional fertilizer applications.

Other recommendations include:

• Stay off the newly seeded lawn (except for mowing) until it is established; about 2 months. For newly sodded areas, stay off completely while area is being watered.
• The first mow should be completed when the grass reaches 3 ½ -4 inches. Mow at a height of 3 inches or above.
• Always make sure to have sharp blades before mowing the new grass.
• Do not spray weed for the first 6-8 weeks to ensure all grass has germinated.
• Fertilize after the 4th or 5th mowing.

Our intention in providing these guidelines is to help you have a successful lawn. Although we guarantee germination of the seed when you follow our watering instructions, we do not guarantee the success of the lawn. Please call our office as soon as you have a question. This will allow us to help with the success of your lawn.