Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 08:52 pm
In the spring you soon want to see your lawn in a lush green. The lawn was sown and should be spared for the next time.
In order for the lawn seeds to germinate optimally and for you to grow a robust lawn, watering is of high importance. Moisture is crucial in determining whether the lawn enjoys the best health or is vulnerable to infestation by weeds or fungi.
Learn how to water your new lawn in this guide.
Contents
Prepare the soil
Before you start watering, you should lay the best possible foundation. With thorough preparation, the lawn will forgive you for minor mistakes in watering. Therefore, the care of the lawn begins even before it is sown.
The care starts with you establishing an optimal soil condition. Check if the soil has a high clay content and allows little water to pass through. Such a solid soil is associated with problems later and the lawn does not absorb the water in sufficient quantities. Especially on hot days, there is a risk that the lawn will burn and not recover from it.
To loosen the soil, you should spread sand. This slowly penetrates into the soil and causes it to be permeable to air. The water will be better absorbed and the lawn is less likely to die of thirst.
On the other hand, it could also happen that the soil has too much sand. Remove the sand and apply a suitable lawn soil over the area. This will ensure that the soil has the optimal texture and make watering the new lawn easier.
Different fertilizers for the new lawn
Water is probably the most important basic ingredient for the new lawn to grow. Without water, the nutrients from the soil will not be absorbed and the health of the lawn is in great danger. In order for the application of water to bear any fruit at all, the soil must have sufficient nutrients.
If you have been using the soil for several seasons, or if it has very little nutrients naturally, you will need to help it along with a fertilizer. The easiest way to do this is to use a multi-component fertilizer. This contains, for example, nitrogen, which promotes the growth of the lawn and increases its resistance. An iron fertilizer is also an important ingredient so that the lawn enjoys the best health.
When seeding the lawn, make sure that this is not done too early. This is susceptible to frost and should only be sown when soil temperatures exceed 10°C. If you start in the month of May, you are usually on the safe side and do not have to fear that the lawn will suffer damage.
You should apply the fertilizer before sowing and in this way create a good breeding ground. When sowing, make sure that it is around 25 grams per m². If you apply too large an amount, it will not help the health of the lawn, but rather cause it to deteriorate.
Optimal watering of the new lawn
The lawn is in the well-prepared and fertilized soil. Now, in order for growth to succeed, watering is crucial so that germination proceeds smoothly.
The exact procedure depends on what the characteristics of the soil and what variety of lawn you have chosen. Some varieties are a bit thirstier and if the thermometer rises to higher temperatures, the lawn will require more water.
Nevertheless, a rough guideline can be defined. This is 2.5 l/m² of water per day, which you should apply to the lawn. If it rains more often and the temperatures are rather moderate, then you can reduce the amount.
To provide the best care for the new lawn, it is better to water it daily. This will prevent puddles from forming or the soil from not absorbing enough of the water. Especially on hot days, it is important to water the lawn more often rather than applying large amounts.
For the new lawn, it should be practically permanently moist for the first month. To do this, you can check yourself with your finger how the soil feels. If this is dry, the amount of water is not sufficient or should carry out additional watering during the day.
The lawn seeds are also relatively close to the surface. This also explains why in the first month the soil must be kept moist. Only after the lawn develops its root system, it reaches the deeper layers and the watering rhythm can be extended to several days. Then it is no longer necessary to apply a little water every day.
Best time for watering
For undisturbed growth, water the new lawn daily and with an amount of water of about 2.5l per m². This is not exactly a lot, but it is enough to keep the upper centimeters permanently moist. The lawn seeds are well supplied and there is no danger of them being washed away. Furthermore, the time at which you carry out the watering is also significant.
You should avoid the midday hours. Especially in summer, the heat during the day is a bad time to do the watering. The soil is hardly absorbent and most of the water evaporates. This makes it difficult for you to ensure that the soil stays moist.
It is better to use the morning or evening hours to water the lawn when temperatures are cooler. Watering clocks that you set at the desired time are handy for this. With the help of retractable lawn sprinklers, you can install a fully automatic watering system that minimizes the effort required. In this way, you ensure that the amount of water meets the needs of the lawn and do not have to set up the sprinklers yourself every day.
Enjoy your new lawn
If you follow the tips presented here and the lawn is kept consistently moist during the first month, it can grow optimally. Feel for yourself how moist the soil is and pay particular attention to the top few inches of soil. These are crucial for the lawn seeds to absorb the water and sprout upward.
Then, within a few weeks, the new lawn will appear in full green and leave a wonderful impression.