You might as well give up laying new sod if you don’t plan to water it appropriately, especially during the first 2 weeks.
A fresh sodded lawn demands sufficient watering to avoid yellowing and death, but how often to water new sod?
You should water the newly sodded lawn at least twice daily for about 20 minutes per session.
Keep at it for at least two months to provide your grass with six inches of water every cycle.
Watering your grass in the morning and late afternoon is ideal, but remember to alter your watering plan for new sod to accommodate rainfall.
However, refrain from watering in the evenings because turf that remains damp throughout the night invites fungus, pests, and diseases.
This guide dives deeper into the subject.
New Sod Watering Schedule {How Often}
Water your fresh sod twice daily during the first seven to ten days. Water the lawn long enough for about 20 minutes to moisten the upper half-inch of dirt and keep it continuously wet.
The newly planted grass needs abundant water in the initial stage for roots to grow and embed themselves in the ground.
If you sod in summer, ensure you water your yard throughout the day to avoid shrinking. In addition, irrigate your lawn regularly for at least two weeks following planting.
Walking on the newly sodded lawn could help you ascertain whether the grass direly needs water. Deep footprints in the yard imply your sod has adequate moisture.
After ensuring the grass is firm, lift a corner of the turf and examine the soil’s moisture content. Dry soils underneath show water demand.
How Much Water Does New Sod Require?
New sod requires at least 3 inches of water for the soil beneath it to be wet. Therefore, on your initial irrigation, use plenty of water.
After the initial watering, the water would be 3-4 inches deep. Since the ground is dry, you should sprinkle the water first and ensure the first watering is extensive.
Soak the soil by applying a large amount of water at first. Once the earth soaks under the surface, it will require more regular, smaller waterings to keep it hydrated.
Keep the sod moist at all times, under watering new grass seed during the first 14 days may cause it to wilt and die.
For optimum results, water your sod evenly with irrigation systems, such as sprinklers-they provide uniform and effective irrigation, unlike manually watering with a hosepipe.
Following the first irrigation, the goal is to keep the turf damp rather than soggy to avert fungus and other diseases that thrive in humid conditions.
Read more: How to care for new sod
How Often To Water New Sod After 2 Weeks
New sod takes about two weeks to grow well enough for you to reduce watering to once a day.
In the third week, reduce irrigation to once every day but water deeply enough to moisten the soil to half an inch.
Limit irrigation to once per day following sod installation. However, irrigate long enough to saturate the top one-quarter inch of soil.
How To Water Your New Sod {Schedule}
To safeguard the health of your yard following sod installation, follow the watering schedule below for the next few weeks:
Day 1-7
Water twice a day (at 7a.m and 1p.m) for 30 minutes using rotor-type sprinkler heads.
Water for 15 minutes if you’re using sprayer heads or 45-60 minutes with MP Rotator nozzles.
Day 8-15
Only water at 7a.m and do away with the 1p.m plan. Water for 20 minutes if you’re using sprayers, 45 minutes with rotors, or 60-75 minutes with MP Rotators.
Days 16-22
Cut back watering to four times a week and adjust to 1 a.m. Sprayers should run for 25-30 minutes, rotors for 50-60 minutes, and 60-90 minutes for MP Rotators.
Days 23 and on:
Drop one day every week until you are only watering two days a week.
New Sod Watering Schedule
| Period (Days) | Watering |
| 0-7 Days | 2× a Day ( for about 20 mins per session) |
| 8-13 Days | Once a Day. |
| 14-21 Days | 3× a Week |
| 22+ Days | 2× – 3× a Week |
| Regular Maintenance(1 Year Old) | Weather condition will dictate the amount and frequency of watering. |
Best Time To Water New Sod
The best time to water new sod is early in the morning or late evening, assuming your schedule permits it. If you settle for morning hours, do so while dew lingers on the ground since this is more ecologically friendly to the grass.
Irrigating your sod after the dew has evaporated can re-wet the grass, making it susceptible to fungal and mold problems.
Read more: Should you water your lawn after applying fungicide
Watering the grass in the afternoon (in the hottest period of the day) is wasteful because the moisture will evaporate instead of being absorbed.
A lack of water in the soil might hinder the earth from holding essential nutrients that your grass needs.
If your budget permits, shop for a programmed sprinkler that distributes the proper quantity of water at the right time.
How Long Should You Water New Sod?
You should water new sod for at least 45 minutes following planting to enable both the grass and the dirt to absorb moisture that will aid in root development.
In the first few weeks after sodding, water twice per day and ensure every irrigation session takes roughly 15-20 minutes.
Can You Overwater Sod?
Over-watering fresh sod is probable, and it could happen more readily than you might realize.
New sod has extremely short roots and thus making it difficult for it to hold a lot of water and oxygen. Therefore, overwatering your lawn with water causes sogginess and prevents the new grass from developing a robust root structure.
Over-watering sod, particularly in hot weather, renders it more vulnerable to disease, fungal growth, and pest infestations.
Keep your fresh sod misty so that it may develop and establish itself; nonetheless, it should feel wet.
How Do You Know If Sod Is Over-watered?
There are a few telltale symptoms that you’re overwatering your fresh sod. If you can spot these warning signals early enough, you could bail your turf from the dire consequences of over-watering.
1) Soggy Sod Or Soil
Testing with your finger after watering (before root development) is one of the best ways to check for over-watering.
The grass should be humid enough to prevent it from drying but not so soaked that it becomes muddy.
Sod shouldn’t feel like a wet sponge. If it does, you’ve gone overboard with the watering.
2) Inability To Knit Into The Soil
Grass should root and connect with the underlying soil after one to three weeks under typical conditions. To ensure that the grass is knitting correctly, pull a corner of the turf gently, and check for resistance.
If the grass offers considerable resistance to lifting, it shows the roots have taken hold. If you can still lift it effortlessly, you may be over-watering.
3) Rotting Roots
Over-watering can cause root rotting. Examine the roots beneath the sod for the first week after planting.
The sod exhibiting signs of decay shows over-watering.
4) Depth Of Moisture
The level of wetness in the soil beneath the sod reveals whether you are over-watering. Water your lawn to saturate the top 1 inch of soil beneath it shortly after installation and until rooting occurs.
Once the grass takes root, cut back on watering, but make the earth wet to six inches underneath the surface with each irrigation cycle.
You can check moisture depth by inserting a long screwdriver into the dirt.
If you’ve been watering correctly, the soil would feel damp through the first 6 inches. Over-watering will cause it to get moist to a depth of fewer than 6 inches.
5) Weeds
Even though an over-watered turf inhibits the growth of healthy sod, it could be great for weeds, such as yellow nutsedge and smooth crabgrass, to sprout.
If you notice plenty of weeds coming up through new sod, it might be because you’re watering too much.
How To Avoid Overwatering New Sod
One approach to prevent over-watering newly planted grass is to examine the soil water levels and turf condition.
Grass growers recommend watering fresh sod daily for three to four weeks. However, if it gets cold or rains severely, watering once a day could be excess for the turf.
You’ll need to water your sod twice or thrice per day if the weather is hot and windy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Often To Water New Sod In Winter
If you lay sod in the winter, you should only water it once. Cool temperatures and more regular rainfall will keep the ground wet for the growing grass.
What Temperature Should you Stop Watering New Sod?
You should water your sod if the temperature is above 80 degrees. Temperatures below 60 degrees, on the other hand, show your grass demands less watering.
How Often to Water New Sod in Florida
Water 1/2′′ to 3/4′′ every day for the first four weeks. Water every other day for the subsequent four weeks until returning to your usual watering routine.
How long to water new sod with sprinkler?
If you are using a sprinkler to water new sod then run your sprinkler for about 40 minutes. Sprinklers are good at watering new sod uniformly and efficiently – just be careful not to over water your fresh sod.
Final Thoughts
Watering newly planted sod is critical for optimal root development and growth into the lush lawn you desire.
This article has covered topics such as how often to water new sod and when is the ideal time to water new sod.
However, just because the sod requires moisture does not imply you should over-water it since doing so would dampen your efforts to establish a fresh lawn.
References
https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/files/e2911.pdf
Hey there, I’m Derek Schew, a writer for Lawnholic.com, where we cover everything and anything related to lawns. As someone who’s spent countless hours tending to my own lawn, I’m passionate about sharing my knowledge and helping others achieve the perfect yard. From lawn care tips to product reviews, I’m committed to providing our readers with the most accurate and up-to-date information available. So whether you’re a seasoned lawn enthusiast or just getting started, I invite you to join our community and discover the joys of a lush, green lawn.