Watering a New Lawn
New turf and new seed stand or fall on the water they get in the first fortnight. Here is exactly how often to water, how much to give, and how to tell whether your new lawn is getting it right.
Water until it soaks through the turf
Twice daily for week one
Before 9am or early evening
Deep soak twice a week from week 5
Soak, don't sprinkle
A short daily sprinkle only wets the surface and encourages shallow roots. Fewer, deeper waterings build a lawn that looks after itself.
Twice a day for the first week
The first seven days decide whether new turf or seed survives. Water morning and early evening, every day, whatever the forecast says.
Morning or evening only
Watering in the heat of the day loses water to evaporation and can scorch wet blades. Before 9am is best; early evening is the next best.
The Watering Calendar
Day 1 — laying or sowing
Straight away
Water new turf until the water has passed through the turf and into the ground underneath. If unsure, lift the edge of the turf to check the ground beneath is wet. Mist seed gently with a fine rose so it isn't washed into hollows.
Days 2–7
Twice a day — morning and early evening
Water until the water has passed through the turf and into the ground underneath. Keep the surface of seeded ground damp at all times.
Week 2
Once a day, early morning
Water until the soil below is soaked, not just the surface. Lift a corner of turf to check it has rooted.
Weeks 3–4
Every 2–3 days
Water more deeply and less often so the roots chase the moisture downwards.
Weeks 5–6
Twice a week in dry weather
Water until the water has passed through the turf and into the ground underneath. Take the first cut once the turf is firmly rooted.
Week 7 onwards
Once or twice a week
A weekly deep soak keeps an established lawn far healthier than a daily sprinkle.
In hot, drying winds, add a second watering each day and check the ground beneath an hour after watering.
Signs of too little water
- Turf edges shrink away from the soil and gaps open between the rolls
- The lawn loses its spring — footprints stay visible after you walk on it
- Colour dulls to a grey-green and the blades feel crisp underfoot
- Seeded areas turn pale grey and the surface dusts up in the wind
Signs of too much water
- Spongy, waterlogged ground with puddles that stand for hours
- Turf still lifts away easily two or three weeks after laying
- Moss and algae appearing in thin or bare patches
- Yellowing grass and fungal disease in warm, humid weather
Watering well — the details that matter
- Water before 9am or in the early evening — midday water evaporates before it reaches the roots.
- Water in two passes: the first wets the surface, the second soaks it down.
- Don't rely on showers. Light rain only dampens the top few millimetres, so carry on watering.
- If you're away, arrange a sprinkler timer or a neighbour — new turf can fail within two or three days in summer.
- Check your water company's hosepipe restrictions before using a sprinkler; watering cans are usually still allowed.
Watering by Season
Spring
Mild and damp, so one good watering a day is usually enough for new turf. Skip a day after steady rain.
Summer
The hardest season. Water twice daily in hot spells, early morning and early evening, and check the edges daily.
Autumn
Ideal conditions for turf and seed. Water daily for the first week, then ease off as temperatures fall.
Winter
Rarely needed. Never water frozen or waterlogged ground — drainage matters far more than irrigation.
Watering Questions, Answered
The watering questions our customers ask us most.