Watering Guide for Lawns

Southwest Coastal Areas

Bulletin #TP1030

Horticultural Observations for Healthier Landscapes

◊ Summer Watering Schedule for new sod

◊ Spring & Fall Watering Schedule for new sod

◊ Winter Watering Schedule for new sod

◊ Summer Watering Schedule for Lawns

◊ Spring & Fall Schedule for Lawns

◊ Winter Watering Schedule for Lawns

◊ Additional Watering Tips

Newly Planted Sod:

Newly planted sod needs to be watered much differently than established lawns. New sod must be watered more frequently for the first three weeks. This watering guide is for Coastal Southwest United States, where more moderate temperatures exist.

Soak the sod enough to keep the top three inches of soil along with the layer of sod constantly wet, but do not allow water to stand for long periods. When rooting has sufficiently developed to prevent sod from being pulled from the soil, cut watering. After 21 days, the roots should be established.

Established Sod:

For established lawns, only water often enough to avoid wilt between irrigations. The tables below detail watering frequency for newly planted sod in summer or winter.

Watering New Sod - Summer Schedule
Summer Schedule: Temperatures Above 70 Degrees Fahrenheit Proper soil depth of 4+ inches water for max. minutes
Time Since Planting	Watering Frequency	Schedule	Duration
First 14 days	3 times daily	6 & 10 a.m. 1 p.m.	4 minutes
15 to 21 days	2 times daily	6 a.m. & 2 p.m.	5 minutes
after 21 days	1 time daily	6 a.m.	5 minutes

Watering New Sod - Spring or Fall Schedule (top of form)
Winter Schedule: Temperatures Below 70 Degrees Fahrenheit Proper soil depth of 4+ inches water for max. minutes
Time Since Planting	Watering Frequency	Schedule	Duration
First 14 days	2 times daily	7 a.m. & 10 a.m.	3 to 5 minutes
15 to 21 days	2/day - every other day	7 a.m. & 10 a.m.	3 to 5 minutes
after 21 days	1/day - 3/week	7 a.m.	6 minutes
Watering New Sod Winter Schedule (top of form)
Winter Schedule: Temperatures Below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit Proper soil depth of 4+ inches water for max. minutes
Time Since Planting	Watering Frequency	Schedule	Duration
First 7 days	2 times daily	7 & 10 a.m.	3 to 5 minutes
8 to 21 days	2/day, every other day	7 & 10 a.m.	3 to 5 minutes
after 21 days	1/day - 2/week	7 a.m.	6 minutes

Watering Lawn - Summer Schedule
Summer Schedule: Temperatures Above 72 Degrees Fahrenheit Roots soil depth affect evaporation & water volume
Depth of Roots	Watering Frequency	Schedule	Duration
1-2 inch root depth	2 times daily	6 & 10 a.m.	3 minutes
2-3 inch root depth	2 times daily	6 & 10 a.m.	4 minutes
3-5 inch root depth	1 once daily	7 a.m.	7 minutes

Watering Lawn - Spring or Fall Schedule (top of form)
Spring-Fall Schedule: Temperatures Between 60 & 72 Degrees Fahrenheit Roots soil depth affect evaporation & water volume
Depth of Roots	Watering Frequency	Schedule	Duration
1-2 inch depth	1/day 3/week	7 a.m.	4 minutes
2-3 inch depth	1/day, 2/week	7 a.m.	6 minutes
3-5 inch depth	1/day, 1/week	8 a.m.	9 minutes
Watering Lawn Winter Schedule (top of form)
Winter Schedule: Temperatures Below 60 Degrees Fahrenheit Roots soil depth affect evaporation & water volume
Depth of Roots	Watering Frequency	Schedule	Duration
1-2 inch depth	1/day - 2/week	7 a.m.	3 to 5 minutes
2-3 inch depth	1/day - 2/week	7 a.m.	8 minutes
3-5 inch depth	1/day - 1/week	7 a.m.	12 minutes

Additional Watering Tips for Lawn or Sod

A If you have a dry area or a blue-gray area (a sign of water stress), place like-size containers in that area and one in a green area. Water sod 10 minutes, and then measure both containers. If the dry area is not getting the same amount of water, adjust the sprinkler heads. Perform a Lawn Irrigation Audit.

B Use several shallow (straight sided) containers such as tuna cans or margarine containers and space throughout the yard. Water until the containers fill to 0.4 inch. However long this takes is how long you should water established grass per day in that area.

B1 The volume of water to apply depends substantially on the type and depth of good soil being irrigated. In common soil 0.4 inch of water will permeate about 4 to 5 inches. If you only have 2 inches of decent soil, then the amount of water will only be 0.2 inches. This would of course require multiple starts in a day, and more days per week in order to keep the lawn healthy.

B2 Moisture meters can help to determine just how deep the moisture is reaching. You want to avoid run-off, waste and yellowing lawns. To get this right will take some experimenting. Take notes. The depth of moisture changes very little with the season, it is the soil and water volume that determine depth.

B3 If the soil is high clay, it will not be possible to get deep penetration of moisture from a traditional sprinkler. Rotary sprinklers apply water about one third as fast. This will enable deeper permeation of moisture.
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Watering New Sod - Summer Schedule

Watering New Sod - Spring or Fall Schedule (top of form)

Watering New Sod Winter Schedule (top of form)

Watering Lawn - Summer Schedule

Watering Lawn - Spring or Fall Schedule (top of form)

Watering Lawn Winter Schedule (top of form)

Additional Watering Tips for Lawn or Sod

Watering New Sod - Spring or Fall Schedule
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Watering New Sod Winter Schedule
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Watering Lawn - Spring or Fall Schedule
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Watering Lawn Winter Schedule
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