watering

How often should I water my new lawn?

Now that Quality Turfing has finished laying your turf it’s time to give it a little TLC while it establishes in its new environment. Turf can lose moisture quickly, sometimes in under 2-3 hours after being laid, which is why it’s important that it is watered.

Water stimulates the roots to grow and spread which is why the grass plants in your new lawn require water to thrive.

Day 1

Immediately after laying you will need to give the turf a thorough watering, making sure the water reaches approximately 25mm below the surface of the soil; there’s no need to water deeper than that at this stage. You can use a hose with a spray attachment, move a sprinkler around the lawn or alternatively Quality Turfing could add pop-up sprinklers to your lawn area before laying, but whichever method you choose make sure you pay attention to the corners and edges of the turf which can dry out more quickly.

You can check the depth the water has reached by gently lifting the corners of the turf and using a kitchen knife to dig a small hole in the soil; the watered depth will appear darker than the soil below it. Don’t use anything too large to dig the hole as you don’t want to disturb your level ground too much.

Important note: Only the roots of grass plants absorb water, which is why it is important to check that water has soaked down through the soil even when the leaves of the lawn appear to be wet, however, there is no need to overdo it.

Day 2 onwards

There is watering guidance available which suggests a regimented routine and although this isn’t necessarily incorrect, we believe that once the turf has had its first good watering on day one it is better to use your own judgement to determine how much watering is required. This may be once or twice daily in warmer or windier weather, but at other times of the year, it is more likely that watering will be required less frequently, for example, if Quality Turfing has laid your turf during a cooler, rainy season. Adopting this method maximises the water you use.

Important note: When your turf gets to the stage that it can’t be lifted and you’re unsure whether you’re watering correctly, you can test how moist the soil is by using a clean, dry screwdriver and push through the soil down to a depth of at least 100mm. If it pushes easily and when removed comes out clean, then the soil is moist. However, if there is a lot of resistance when pushing the screwdriver into the soil and when withdrawn it has a powdery residue, it is likely your soil is too dry and requires a little water.

How do I water my turf?

In warm weather it is best to water your lawn in the evening; if this isn’t possible then try to do it as early as possible in the morning while it is still cool. This helps to reduce lost water through evaporation and gives the grass roots a longer period to absorb the water before the ground starts to increase in temperature.

Download an app to monitor the weather in your area over the next couple of days. Taking the forecasted weather conditions into account can help you water your garden more efficiently, e.g. if the temperature will be particularly high the next day it may be wise to water the new turf the evening before, or if there is rain forecast overnight you may not need to water the lawn.

Don’t forget that the soil needs to be wet, so don’t be fooled by morning dew on the plants’ leaves.

If the soil base looks dry, or the turf is showing signs of shrinkage or browning then this may indicate you need to water more frequently.
On rare occasions, such as during a heatwave, your new turf may need to be watered more than once per day, however, this should only be done where absolutely necessary.

As we mentioned earlier, during the first few days as you are getting used to the amount of watering your lawn needs, you can continue to lift the corners of your turf to check whether the water is reaching the soil below. It is important to lift gently so that any roots that have started to grow into the soil underneath the turf are not damaged. If there is any resistance this could be a sign that your turf already has roots growing into the new soil we prepared, so take care not to damage them.

Signs of underwatering new turf Yellowing of the turf.

• Blades of grass withering. 
• Brown, dried edges.
• New turf showing signs of shrinkage after laying.
• When the lawn is walked upon footprints remain as the grass leaves don’t spring back to an upright position.
• Audible crunch; this is usually only when severely underwatered and completely dried out; at this stage, it is likely that the turf will be brown and look very dry. If the grass plants have reached this stage there is a very slight chance they may still recover if the roots are still alive, but after two or three days of watering if there is no further growth then it is highly likely you will need to replace the lawn.

Important note: Watering is more important for newly laid turf as water encourages root growth and avoids shrinkage but remember to use water responsibly and don’t set sprinklers on a timer, as watering may not be necessary every day and sprinklers should be switched off as soon as the area has received sufficient water for the turf’s requirements.

How to tell if you’re overwatering newly laid turf

Most people underwater rather than overwater their turf, but it is possible to overdo it. The clearest signs of overwatering are:

• Pools of water on the surface or the ground feels soggy when walked upon.
• The grass starts to turn a lighter green or yellow. This is due to the roots being suffocated and the excess water leaching nutrients from the soil.
• Shallow roots after a number of weeks of being laid; the grass plants learn that they don’t need to grow deep roots to find water if the lawn is watered too regularly. This can result in a weak lawn, more susceptible to traffic wear and disease.
• The soil doesn’t need to be saturated, just given enough so that the water soaks through your new turf to the soil below to encourage the roots to grow down. As well as overwatering being inefficient, it can be detrimental to the health of your new lawn.

If you do overwater your lawn and water is sitting on the surface, try using a garden fork to spike holes in the turf to a depth of at least 100mm, to help the water penetrate and drain deeper into the soil below. Refrain from watering your turf until the water has fully drained and you have tested the soil moisture using the screwdriver test mentioned earlier.

Mature turf is fairly resilient to drought, so if it doesn’t receive water and turns brown in areas try to keep off the lawn to avoid the roots being damaged; it is likely your turf will recover once the cooler, wet weather arrives.