When to water grass seedlings?

Wondering when to water a newly sown lawn? Should you irrigate it every day? Should you water it in the morning or in the evening?

We are passionate about gardening and know exactly how to help you.

Moisture helps seeds begin their germination process. So, water your soil generously two days before sowing your seeds. Once your seedlings are planted, you should continue watering two to three times a day to keep the soil moist.

Our article will teach you how to:

• Know how to recognize if your seedlings need water,
• Choose the best time of day to water,
• Take from your young lawn, until its first mowing.

With all these tips, you'll know exactly when to start your next watering cycle. This way, you should be able to grow a dense, even, and lush lawn !

Let’s find out all about it together right now!

1. How often to water the new lawn.

Germination is the period during which the seed will mutate until it takes on the appearance of a blade of grass . This will split in two and reveal the first roots and the beginnings of a stem. This process requires a lot of energy from your shoot, which will draw as much water as possible from the soil. It is therefore imperative to keep your soil constantly moist .

So start watering it two to three days before sowing your seeds . This watering should not be superficial. You must hydrate the soil 15 to 20 centimeters deep . Of course, your watering frequency will depend on the climate of your environment. Observe the weather and supplement the natural watering provided by rain.

Ideally, we recommend watering twice a day if it's not raining. As your grass grows, you can reduce the frequency of watering by increasing the amount of water. This will encourage the root system to grow deeper.

Generally speaking, the amount of water you should give your garden is an important question. Read our article on how often to water your garden now!

2. Is it better to water your seedlings in the morning or in the evening?

We now have a clearer picture of the ideal frequency for watering your lawn. Let's now discover the best time of day to irrigate!

The best times to irrigate your grass seeds are in the morning and evening . These are the coolest times of the day. The water from your irrigation will be less likely to evaporate and will be more easily absorbed by your soil.

• In the morning, we recommend watering between 6 and 10 a.m.
• In the evening, you should enjoy the coolness of the sunset while avoiding the nighttime chill. The ideal time slot is between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in summer.

3. Water your grass seedlings without damaging them

Once you've identified the best time, you now need to know the right method for watering a growing lawn. Trust us, these tips are worth their weight in gold!

A) Can we walk on the grass seed when watering?

Unless you use an automatic watering system, you will have to walk on your freshly seeded lawn to water it. You should therefore limit your movements as much as possible to avoid damaging or moving your seeds .

Adding a little mulch to the soil can help protect it. It reduces evaporation and will protect the seeds when you walk on them.

Be careful, however, not to create a mulch that is too dense. Young grass blades will need to easily push their way through to grow and benefit from the sun's rays.

Another important point: the seeds must be planted on bare soil. Mulching can only be done after sowing the seeds, not before. Sowing them on soil covered with dead leaves would be pointless. The roots of the sprouted seeds wouldn't even be able to reach the soil.

B) How much water to avoid overwatering?

The amount of water you need depends on the condition of your soil . Ten-minute watering sessions are generally ideal. This allows the water to saturate the top layers of the soil and allow it to infiltrate deeper.

When it comes to germination, the risk of overwatering is not the same as for an adult plant. Overwatering here risks moving the seeds , carrying them away with your water jet. Remember that your seeds are just forming their roots and that these are still very superficial.

To avoid this problem, we recommend using watering nozzles that best replicate rain watering.

C) Should I use a watering can or an automatic watering system?

As we just saw, your watering should replicate the shape of raindrops . If you use a watering can , it should have a watering head dotted with small holes. Watering cans with thin spouts are perfectly suited to houseplants, but completely ineffective for lawns.

The Parisian Watering Can is our recommended watering can if you want to water manually. Its versatile design offers the best capacity-to-space ratio. Made of plastic, it stands the test of time and is ideal for outdoor use.

For large green spaces such as parks and meadows , however, the watering can is ineffective. The minimum would then be a watering gun connected to a hose, to avoid going back and forth.

The holy grail of large spaces is the automatic watering system . These systems save a considerable amount of time and energy, as you only have to open the valve of your faucet for 10 minutes. We therefore recommend choosing an oscillating lawn sprinkler .

Oscillating sprinklers are ideal for watering new grass seed over large areas. The back-and-forth motion allows the water time to gradually infiltrate.

What you need to know to grow your seedlings correctly

Beyond watering, here are our tips for keeping your lawn healthy and not ruining all your efforts!

A) How long does it take for the grass to germinate?

Grasses are " monocots ," which emerge from the ground as a single blade. This single leaf-like plant then develops into a larger plant.

The time it takes for your grass to sprout really depends on the variety you choose and your environment. It can take anywhere from 4 to 28 days to see the first blades of grass appear!

It's therefore very important to keep your soil moist throughout this period. Young seedlings have fragile, shallow roots. Even the slightest drying out of the soil could be fatal! Also, keep in mind that not all seeds sown will necessarily grow at the same speed.

Your seed may be composed of different varieties. These will be planted at different depths, will not absorb the same amounts of water, and will not benefit from the same level of sunlight. You will therefore need to maintain generous irrigation until all your seeds have had time to form roots.

Once your lawn has grown, it will take time for it to become dense and lush. You shouldn't expect to have a thick lawn in a few weeks. It often takes a full year or two to achieve a thick lawn when starting with seed on bare soil .

B) When should you start mowing a newly sown lawn?

New lawns need time for their roots to establish before they can be mowed for the first time. For seeded lawns, you can wait up to two months before they are ready to be mowed. You must wait until all the seeds have germinated, their roots are deep enough, and the blade is large enough.

How to mow your new lawn?

When it's time for your first mowing, make sure it's dry so you don't tear up your new lawn. Its roots are still relatively fragile, and your blade can easily tear them out.

We recommend letting your grass grow a little taller than usual to ensure it's ready. Cut only the top third of the blades during your first mowing. Only cut it shorter on your second pass, about two weeks later.

Grab your Watering Can and take action now!

As you can see, successful watering helps create a dense, uniform lawn. This will give your garden a more well-kept appearance.

With all this information, you'll now be able to properly irrigate your lawn seedlings. It will be easy for you to determine the best time to water them while avoiding common mistakes.

Remember that good watering requires good habits and the right equipment.

We recommend a good automatic watering system for your garden. This will allow for efficient watering , saving you time and effort!

Discover them now by clicking on the image below.