The best time to plant a new lawn is in spring and autumn. These seasons give the best-growing conditions since temperatures are not too hot or too cold and since it frequently rains during this time in the UK. Keep reading our advice on how often you should water your grass in spring and autumn to help you get the best garden lawn possible!

Watering your new lawn in spring

You should aim to water your new lawn every day for the first six weeks from when you’ve planted your seeds. This six-week period is how long it takes for your grass to grow fully, and it will be ready for its first mow afterwards! You can hold off watering on days when it's forecast to rain outside.

Watering your new lawn in autumn

Since rain is a lot more common this time of year, you won’t need to set as much time aside for watering your newly planted grass seeds. But you still need to make sure your soil is moist and doesn’t dry out. So, ensure you water your seedlings daily and water them well for the first six weeks.

How often should you water an established lawn?

Even though your lawn has fully grown, it will still need watering from time to time. This is especially important in times of drought and during the summer when temperatures are warmer and when rainfall is less common.

How often to water your established lawn in spring and summer

You should water your lawn with a lot of water but not too often in the spring and summer months. This will help your lawn's root system to develop, and since you’re not watering every day, it encourages the root system to dig deeper into the soil.

In contrast, if you water regularly and with a smaller quantity of water, then the roots will not grow as deep, which will cause your lawn stress in drought and summer heat while also encouraging weeds to grow and it increases the chance of grass diseases.

Tips for watering your lawn this time of year:

• Give your lawn a good soaking every 7-10 days
• You want to see minor puddles appearing on top of your soil
• Water your lawn in the late evening when the sun has gone down and it’s cooler outside
• You can instead choose to water early in the morning if you don’t plan to mow that day
• If it’s very warm outside or during a heatwave; do not water on these days as the water will quickly evaporate

Watering your established lawn in autumn and winter

Your grass will grow slower as the colder weather creeps in, and it tends to rain more frequently, so watering your lawn is unnecessary this time of year.

How much water should you use?

Typically around 1-2 inches of water is ideal for new seedlings and for an established lawn most times of the year! When planting new grass seed, this keeps the soil moist but not saturated in water! For an established lawn, this amount of water will keep it green, hydrated and lush.

If you realise that in the hot summer heat, your seedlings or soil appear to be dry shortly after watering or if your established lawn isn’t improving, then you will need to increase how frequently you’re watering it!

Now you know how often you should aim to water your lawn. However, please get in touch if you have any questions about growing grass seeds or wildflowers or would like advice when using lawn food in your garden, and we will be happy to help.