Watering Newly Seeded Lawns

Watering Newly Seeded Lawns Last Updated: 28/06/2023

After an over-seed application, your lawn will require adequate watering on a regular basis to ensure successful seed germination.

The success of seed germination will be affected by different soil types, weather conditions and the watering equipment used.

A few minutes of watering each seeded area, preferably a few times a day is sufficient to allow the seed to germinate and grow successfully. However, it’s important to not flood the areas by watering too much at once.

With this in mind, here are the do’s and don’ts on watering your lawn after an over-seed application.

Do	Don't
Do water your lawn a few times throughout the day.	Don’t let the seed dry out. Dried out seed will fail to germinate and grow properly.
Do water each area of your lawn for a few minutes until the area is damp.	Don’t water the same section of grass for more than a few minutes as this will cause flooding of the area. Overwatering can cause the seeds to run off and grow unevenly, or not grow at all.
Do try to not walk on the lawn when watering if this is possible.	Don’t wait for rain. This can delay the germination process or cause the seed to dry out.
Do use a sprinkler for the best results. Sprinklers provide consistent water application and sufficient volume.	Don’t always pause if it rains, as there may be only a little rainfall, or the rain can simply run off.
Do position the sprinkler at the far end of the lawn to begin with, then gently pull on the hose pipe to re-position. This technique helps keep foot traffic on your lawn to a minimum.	Don’t use a watering can. You simply can’t add enough water to achieve full germination and it would take much longer to fully water your lawn.
Do continue to water your lawn until you have cut the lawn several times, or sufficient rainfall has been received.	Don’t use a handheld water gun. Handheld devices can achieve inconsistent watering and insufficient volume. Also, using a water gun with a high-water pressure can wash the seed and soil away.