When you install new sod, you’ll need to get on a watering schedule immediately. Learn everything you need to know from this blog post.
Water is essential to all life…too little water and we die, too much and we drown. The same is true of the grass in our lawns. Water makes up 70% to 80% of the weight of our lawn grasses and the clippings alone are nearly 90% water.
While most people are concerned about not watering their lawns enough. Following these new sod watering tips will help prevent lawns damaged or destroyed by over-watering.
Newly installed turfgrass sod has very important watering needs. The turf needs water immediately after installation to ensure the turf gets established. This will also have an impact on how well the lawn continues to flourish for years to come.
Ryno Lawn Care, LLC is always happy to help with local jobs in the D/FW area.
Also, different grass types require different amounts of watering.
Begin watering new turfgrass sod within a half hour after it is laid on the soil. Apply at least 2 to 3 cm. (1 inch) of water so that the soil beneath the turf is very wet. Ideally, the soil 7 to 10 cm. (3 to 4 inches) below the surface should be moist.
Proper watering techniques are a critical aspect of lawn watering, equal in importance to the issues of when to water and how much to water. Here are several key factors to proper technique:
Avoid hand sprinkling because it cannot provide the necessary uniformity as most people do not have the patience, time or “eye” to adequately measure what is being applied across any larger areas of lawn. The only possible exception to this guideline would be the need to syringe the surface of the grass to cool it, or to provide additional water near buildings or other heat-reflecting surfaces.
Understand the advantages of different sprinkler designs, because each type has its advantages and disadvantages and its proper use will be determined by the type of sprinkler you select.
The greatest mistake made with most in-ground systems is the “set it and forget it” philosophy that fails to account for the changing seasonal water requirements to maximize turf grown or even allowing the system to operate during or following a multi-inch rain storm.
Another frequent problem is when heads get out of alignment and apply water to the sidewalk, street or house-siding, rather than to the lawn.
Hose-End Sprinklers range in complexity, cost and durability, but are highly portable and can provide uniform and consistent coverage, when properly placed on the yard and adequately maintained.
Sprinklers that do not throw the water high into the air are usually more efficient because prevailing winds are less disruptive of distribution patterns, the potential for evaporation loss is reduced and trees, shrubs and other plants do not block the pattern (or are very noticeable if they do).
Several times during the growing/watering season, check for blocked outlets, leaking or missing gaskets, or mis-aligned sprinkler heads is important, regardless of the sprinkler design.
Select sprinklers and systems for uniformity of coverage across whatever area they are designed to water. Inexpensive hose-end sprinklers and in-ground irrigation systems can provide uniform coverage, but they can also be extremely variable and inconsistent in their coverage patterns.
Verify watering uniformity can be accomplished with a very simple and inexpensive method that uses only 4 to 6 flat-bottomed, straight-sided cans (tuna fish, cat food, etc.), a ruler and a watch.
Use this measuring method across an entire lawn that has an in-ground irrigation system to assure maximum coverage and uniformity.
Watering difficult areas such as slopes and under trees requires special attention to achieve maximum benefit.
For areas under and near trees you need to know the water requirements for the specific trees, and the grass. Despite having deep “anchor” roots, trees take up moisture and nutrients from the top six inches of soil. Grass is also grabbing water and nutrients from the same area. Trees and turf will compete for water.
Watering sufficiently for the grass may over-water some varieties of trees and under-water others. A common solution is to not plant grass under the drip-line of trees. Instead, use that area for perennial ground-covers, flower beds or mulch beds.
The amount of water your lawn requires and receives will determine its overall health. Keep in mind that too much water can ruin a lawn just as fast as too little.
The standard water requirement for most lawns is one inch per week. However, this will vary between different turf species and among cultivars within a specie. There will also be varying water requirements for seasonal changes and soil types.
Look at your lawn to determine its water needs. Grass in need of water will have a grey-blue cast to it, rather than a blue-green or green color. Foot prints will still appear after a half-hour or more on a lawn in need of water. While on a well watered lawn foot-prints will completely disappear within minutes.
Use a soil probe, such as a screwdriver or large spike to determine how dry your lawn is. If you can push the probe into the soil easily, it is still moist. If you have difficulty, it is time to water.
Verify watering quantities with the same measuring can method described above. Except you will want to note the time it takes for the cans to collect a specific amount of water. If 0.25-inches collects in 30 minutes, it will take two hours to apply 1-inch.
You can program your water timer so that they are consistent. It is even possible to set them to turn off when no one is home or awake. Some timers measure just the amount of time water is flowing through the devise. So you have to know or calculate how long to set the timer for (see item above).
Other units measure the number of gallons of water flowing through it. Knowing that 600 gallons per 1,000 square feet equals one-inch of water will help you calculate the settings.
View PDF: New Sod Watering Schedule Tips
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Thanks to the author. This piece is detailed. I've been wanting to grow the turfgrass, I was thinking watering about 30 minutes after laying the sod is too early. I'll work on this, and I hope to get amazing results. The last time I tried this, I watered it about 2 hours after laying the sod, but I got a poor result.
I love your posts as its easy to since you share lots of information, thank you
Thanks for sharing this blog. I hope it can help many people especially the garden enthusiast here
Thanks for sharing these useful tips for lawn maintenance. These watering tips for different grass types will make your lawn look healthy and beautiful.
Thanks for your tips on how to water new sod. My sister is thinking about getting sod for her yard. It could be really nice to get it installed by a professional.
I love all of this information and they are so simple and easy to implement! Thank you.
I love how you go into the math of it all also. A good irrigation system is definitely worth getting if you want a good-looking and green lawn. Thanks for sharing the tips on keeping our sod/grass pristine, it means a lot!
The other day, my sister mentioned she'd like to install new sod in her front and back yards to make her house more appealing to potential buyers. I'm glad you elaborated on learning proper watering techniques to water your new sod effectively, so I'll make sure my sister's aware of this immediately. Thanks for the advice on checking different sprinkler designs before choosing one for your sod.