Lawn Watering
No water, no life!
No blue, no green!
When and how to water your lawn
A good watering program is essential to keep a happy and healthy lawn. The age of your lawn, the season and the weather will all be factors in how much you will be required to water.
How often should you water your lawn?
Watering freshly laid turf
Weeks 0-4
New turf should always be watered as soon as possible after laying and then kept damp continuously for the establishment phase (2-6 weeks depending on variety and season). Water your new lawn lightly 3 times a day and ensure that it does not dry out! Try not to water at night as this can increase the risk of disease in your lawn.
Watering established turf
Weeks 4-6+
Once your lawns new root system has started to establish (you can no longer lift it up), you can start to gradually decrease your watering frequency and increase the time. It’s best to do this slowly, so your lawn can adapt to its new routine. Decrease to a longer water once a day, then every second day and so on, until you are able to give your lawn one deep soak (1-2hours), once a week. These longer waters will help your lawn to search for its own water in the soil, creating stronger and deeper roots.
Of course, if it’s a 45º day and you’re hot, your lawn probably is too! Give it an extra drink!
How do I tell if my lawn needs water?
Regularly check your lawn for signs it needs a drink – dry, wilting or discoloured leaves are a good indication that you may need to turn your sprinklers on. The footprint test is another simple way to check how hydrated your lawn is. Walk across your lawn and see how long it takes for the grass to bounce back. If you can hardly see your footprint, your lawn is adequately hydrated, but if it leaves a mark or is slow to bounce back your lawn needs a drink.
The difference between short 10 minute waters frequently to longer, deep waters less frequently.
(In an established lawn)
Just one weeks’ difference with increase watering.
(TifTuf Bermuda in Summer)
Watering Tips
Install automatic irrigation
We highly recommend to install an automatic pop-up irrigation system to ensure your lawn receives frequent, even and efficient waters.
Choose a drought tolerant variety
Although most lawns can be trained in drought tolerance, some are more water-saving than others. TifTuf Bermuda is the first lawn in the world to receive the Smart Approved Water Mark.
Watch the weather forecast
Pre-empting the hot weather and preparing your lawn with an extra drink will be very beneficial. Plus, if there's rain on the cards, you can skip the sprinkler session.
Water early morning or evening
The best time of day to water your lawn is early in the morning so you don't lose water due to heat related evaporation or increase your risk of disease occurrence.
Check your lawn is getting watered evenly!
Check the uniformity of your sprinklers with a water audit to ensure that they are watering evenly across your lawn to avoid overly dry or wet patches. This is crucial to the overall health of your lawn. Areas of over-watering or under-watering will produce uneven growth looking unsightly and potentially leading to many future health issues.
How to perform a water audit
- Place bowls/cups/containers randomly out on your lawn, in green spots and in the brown spots
- Run your sprinklers for 5-10 minutes
- Measure the amount of water in each bowl
- The quantity should be even, if it’s not, adjust your sprinklers to ensure you are applying not only enough water but also an even application.
Is the watering effective?
You can water your lawn as much as you want but if it isn’t being stored or used effectively, you may end up scratching your head as to why it still isn’t looking so flash.
If your lawn has built up a thatch layer or your soil has become hydrophobic, it can inhibit essential water, nutrients and oxygen reaching the roots where it is needed for your lawn to thrive. Applying a wetting agent such as Lawn Soaker will improve penetration in these areas by attracting water to the soils surface and helping it to soak in.
