For the new sod you want to establish, water is essential to keep it alive and maximise growth.
Watering may seem like an easy task to many, yet a lot of people end up over or underwatering the sod.
As a result, the newly established sod rots or drown. Therefore, you need a new sod watering schedule to ensure that the sod has the beginning that it deserves.
To help you achieve a healthy and attractive lawn, let’s talk about how often to water new sod and how you can create a watering schedule.
Learn More: Sod Prices: Calculating the Total Costs in 2023
Preparing For Sod
Before you get the new sod watering schedule, you need to ensure that your ground is ready to support sod growth.
You should take a few simple steps to prepare your ground before adding sod.
Use ground paint to denote the area where you want the sod to be cut if a sidewalk, mow edge curb, or other physical barrier does not surround your lawn area.
Marking the sod helps you with shaping and trimming. If you want your sod to get the nutrients that may be lacking in the soil, you can use a suitable fertilizer.
How Often To Water New Sod In Canada
Here is a quick overview of what your new sod watering schedule will be like:
| Weeks | Watering New Sod in Canada |
| 1st Week | Three times a day |
| 2nd Week | Once a day |
| 3rd Week | Three times a week |
| 4th Week | Two to three times a week |
New Sod Watering Schedule
Your sod’s rigorous watering regimen begins the day it is installed. You need to immediately water your yard thoroughly after the sod rolls are installed.
To keep your sod from drying out, make sure water has penetrated six inches into the soil.
This initial stage is essential for setting up your new lawn for success since it provides the sod with the much-needed boost it needs to become rooted in the ground.
Here is how you need to plan out your new sod watering schedule:
1. First Day
The objective of installing new sod is to establish it quickly while preserving a robust root structure.
The first thing in your new sod watering schedule should be soaking the sod with 6-8 inches of water.
It’s much better to thoroughly soak in the first hour rather than using three times as much water later that night.
To prevent leaving footprints in the newly laid soil underneath the sod, try not to walk on your newly installed lawn while it’s wet.
Watering sod is best done in the early morning or late at night. That aside, your new sod watering schedule shouldn’t include watering during the hottest parts of the day.
In this way, you can prevent the edges of the sod from shrinking and drying out.
2. The Following Three Days
Watering the soil down to a depth of 3 to 5 inches is necessary for your new lawn.
To determine the watering depth, raise a tiny section of your freshly installed sod and dig down to determine the depth of the water penetration.
Alternatively, you can pierce the new sod with a pencil or screwdriver. The dirt will adhere to it when you remove it because of how deeply the water has permeated.
3. Fifth Day
In your new sod watering schedule, you can cut back on the water by roughly 20% as you reach day five.
Normally, you only need two 30-minute sessions per section in your new sod watering schedule to fulfil the water requirement.
Easily determine whether you’re underwater by looking for spaces in between the sod.
This indicates that the sod has shrunk, and adding soil could be necessary to restore the lawn’s smoothness.
Compared to most trees and plants, sod is generally more resilient and difficult to eradicate.
If you skip a watering cycle or are running behind your new sod watering schedule, you can always catch up.
Learn More: Sod vs. Grass: A Detailed Guide On the Best Option
4. After Five Days
During the initial days of your new sod watering schedule, check for any dry areas and be sure to water them. The edges can dry out as they have more sun exposure and are not tightly situated with the rest of the pieces of sod.
5. On the Sixth to Ninth Day
After five days in your new sod watering schedule, you need to allow the roots to dry up a bit. After watering frequently for a couple of days, you need to train them to survive with a lesser water supply.
This will allow them to spread to find a deeper water source.
Adhere to the new sod watering schedule for the days remaining until the end of week two. You can now mow your freshly planted lawn and water it again the day following the cut.
At the end of the third week, you can reduce the amount of water to twice a week and alter the time you water each section.
Continue to soak once in the late afternoon and once in the morning. Still, you should prevent standing water and consider rainfall. The aim is to maintain soil moisture, not saturation.
After watering on day nine, pick off a section of the sod to check if any new white roots have emerged and are settling into the soil.
6. Day Tenth to Twelve
After ten days of installation, you can start reducing your watering regimen to once a day. However, you will still need to look for dry areas on the edges and seams.
Keep an eye out for symptoms of lawn disease, such as fungus or irregular circular patterns of illness, which can be caused by overwatering.
It will resemble decayed fragments. When this occurs, use a systemic fungicide.
If you notice brown patches on your lawn, here is a blog that describes the possible causes and offers effective solutions.
7. From Day Thirteen to Fifteen
These are the days when you should mow for the first time. For that, in your new sod watering schedule, you must maintain the soil’s moisture content and stick to a once-daily watering plan.
8. Days Sixteen to Twentieth
At this stage, your lawn becomes established. So, you only need to give your sod one and a half inch of water a week. From here, your new sod watering schedule will become less demanding.
If you are wondering How often to water sod after 3 weeks, Keep in mind that the water requirement of the sod depends on its type and the weather.
For instance, during summer, if you water once a week, it may only need water once or twice a month, depending on the rainfall and rate of evaporation in the region.
9. From Twentieth to Thirtieth Day
Continue watering by giving it a thorough, prolonged soak in the early morning. In the fourth week of your new sod watering schedule, you can water every other day and even less.
However, if the soil is sandy, make sure you water 3-4 days a week without skipping much.
How Much Time Does Sod Take to Take Roots?
Newly installed sod takes around two weeks to fully establish itself, so you’ll need to water it on a regular basis to keep it healthy.
After sod installation, your new sod will typically take 10 to 14 days to root.
Your sod will develop a shallow root system during the first two weeks, so you will need to water it more frequently.
Watering the sod will help keep it from drying out and compromising, as shallow roots are more prone to this.
Your sod will start to develop deep roots a few weeks after installation, allowing you to water it less frequently and with less water.
What Happens When There’s Water Deprivation
It’s a strong indication that you’re not watering enough if you notice that big spaces are starting to appear between your sod rows or if the sod is pulling up at the corners.
This indicates shrinkage, which denotes the drying out of your newly installed grass.
If you’re only seeing less growth in one location, it’s likely a sign that your sprinklers need to be adjusted.
Inspect the grass for any patches of grey or regions that aren’t returning to normal after being trodden upon.
These are the first signs that your grass is being watered insufficiently.
Thankfully, turfgrass is hardy by nature. Your grass will quickly recover if you modify your new sod watering schedule when you see over- or underwatering.
What Happens When You Overwater
You can overwater your new lawn, even though it needs a lot of it. In fact, too much water might inhibit root growth and cause rot.
You should stop watering your grass and give it time to dry out if it looks to be holding water or if there are any puddles visible.
You’ve gone too far and should modify your new sod watering schedule to give your grass some chance to drain out if the ground feels spongy or if water squeezes up when you walk on it.
As a first symptom of overwatering, look for any dark brown discolouration or evidence of rotting grass.
New Sod Care Timeline Tips
In your new sod watering schedule, you need to pay attention to your watering techniques as you focus on your new sod care timeline.
Here are some tips you can follow as suggested by our lawn care experts in Mississauga:
- Regardless of the kind of irrigation system you choose, make sure water reaches every part of the lawn.
- Hand watering should be avoided as it cannot achieve uniformity.
- Professional installation, regular modifications, and appropriate maintenance are necessary for in-ground systems.
- Adjust for weather variations and seasonal water requirements. The sprinkler heads should be directed toward the lawn and not the street, walkways, or siding of the home.
- Water in the morning, between 6 and 8 a.m. There are less wind gusts and evaporative losses of water. Water is not recommended in the evening since standing on the grass might encourage fungus and disease.
- Shallow watering is inferior to infrequent, deep irrigation. Roots absorb only the most frequent source of water.
FAQs
How often should I water my newly installed sod lawn right away?
To keep your new sod consistently moist for the first two weeks, give it a good soak every day. You might need to water your plants twice a day, in the morning and in the late afternoon, if the weather is too hot.
How much time should pass between watering sessions?
The duration of each watering session should be such that the soil is submerged six to eight inches. This usually entails watering for twenty to thirty minutes; however, the precise duration may differ depending on your sprinkler system and water pressure.
What time of day is ideal for watering newly laid grass?
Early in the morning and late afternoon or early evening are the ideal times to water. By doing this, you can keep the sod from evaporating and make sure it stays moist all day.
How can I know whether I’m watering my newly planted sod properly?
Examine the ground beneath the grass. It should always be somewhat damp but not soggy. To make sure the soil below is moist to a depth of 6 to 8 inches, lift a corner of the sod.
In Conclusion
Here is what your new sod watering schedule will look like.
Since every lawn is unique in terms of slope, sun exposure, and rainfall, you must gradually adjust your watering plan to fit your particular property.
After installation, if you don’t provide your sod with enough water, it may become damaged and struggle to grow.
So, if you feel that there is something wrong with the sod, contact a professional like Falcons Landscaping.