Three Tips To Pass Along To Citizens: Watering That New or Overseeded Fall Lawn

1. An existing lawn being overseeded. Normally a lawn should be watered deeply but infrequently. NOT NOW! Change this when you are watering for new grass seed. Now you must water every day. Set automatic timers for about 5 to 10 minutes, early in the morning, and again at mid-day. Twice daily watering is essential until the new grass is up, then after one more week, reduce to once per day.
2. Bare lawn areas being patched. If a lawn area is of substantial size or you have multiple areas, follow the same instructions as above. For smaller amounts or areas, if hand watering is practical, leave the lawn on its normal irrigation schedule for a single cycle each day. Supplement the bare areas once or twice daily, or as needed, to keep the new seed moist.
3. New lawn areas sowed with grass seed. New lawn preparation done properly will have tilled the soil to loosen the ground for the new grass plants. This loose soil is prone to holding large amounts of water. Do not overwater! The top inch of soil should stay moist at all times. Moist, but not soggy is the plan! Watering should be repeated 2 or even 3 times each day if the weather is hot enough to require it.