Gardening, Lawn care

How Often Do You Water Grass Seed?

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by Bryan Mckenzie

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Home » Gardening » How Often Do You Water Grass Seed?
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Different types of grass have different growing speed. But if you picked one of the slowest growing grass types, and don’t have enough patience, here’s our advice.
One of the fastest-growing grasses is Perennial ryegrass, which germinates in 5-10 days and likes cool weather, and the slowest are Kentucky bluegrass, Zoysia, and Centipede grass that require at least 21 days or more to germinate. If you picked one of them, be patient, and don’t worry, you still can speed up the process, at least for a couple of days.

  • Begin with fertilizing the soil before planting seeds. Pick the fertilizer depending on the type of soil. You will see the requirements in the table;
  • Carefully rake the ground, mixing its upper layers;
  • You may also try pre-germinating seeds before planting them in the soil. It takes up to 4 days, and after that, you will see small growth from the seed. Dry the seed for 12 hours before you plant it;
  • Plant the seed in fertilized soil;
  • Cover it with a thin layer of mulch of straw or compost. The seed still needs to receive the sunlight;
  • Water the seed according to your plant. Check the watering frequency according to the type of seed. In the first three weeks, you can lightly sprinkle seeds at least 4 times a day. You have to keep the seed moist, but not overwatered.

These actions may speed up grass seeds’ growth. If you don’t have enough time, I recommend you consider fast-growing seeds.

I advise you to read my article How Long Does It Take for Grass to Grow, where I gathered important tips on planting grass seeds. There is a really useful table for gardeners. I picked all the most popular types of grass seeds and provided information on the germination period, the best type of soil for them, and the most suitable season for gardening.

Also you can read about professional grower tips for watering new grass seed.

About
Bryan Mckenzie
Hi there — my name is Bryan McKenzie. Before I’d got into gardening, I worked as a landscape designer at landscape design and consultation company in Jacksonville. I enjoy sharing the vast gardening experience I’ve accumulated throughout the years with like-minded green thumbs. Read more about me and my wife.
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