How to Water Your Lawn

Watering your lawn correctly is essential for healthy growth, strong roots and long-lasting colour. How often you water depends largely on the weather, soil type and time of year, so it’s always important to check the forecast before reaching for the hose.

Overwatering can be just as damaging as underwatering, leading to shallow roots, disease and wasted water. This guide explains how to water a new lawn, how to manage watering through spring and summer, and how to adjust your routine during hot or dry conditions.

Choosing the Right Watering Method

The aim of watering is to moisten the soil evenly without causing puddling or runoff. The best tools for the job are a sprinkler or a hose fitted with a fine spray attachment, as these deliver water gently and evenly across the lawn. For smaller areas, a fine-headed watering can is also effective.

Avoid using strong jets of water, as these can disturb soil, damage young grass plants and lead to uneven moisture levels.

Watering a New Lawn

Newly sown lawns and young grass plants require consistent moisture while they establish. For the first six weeks, the lawn should be watered once a day, using a light spray from a hose, sprinkler or watering can.

The soil surface should remain moist, but not saturated. If rainfall occurs during the day and the soil is already damp, watering can be skipped. Allowing the soil to dry out completely at this stage can prevent seeds from germinating or cause young plants to fail.

Regular, gentle watering encourages even germination and helps young roots establish firmly in the soil.

Watering an Established Lawn

Once established, a lawn becomes far more resilient and usually requires less frequent watering. During spring and summer, watering may not be necessary at all if rainfall is sufficient and the soil continues to retain moisture.

In mild or moderately warm conditions, most lawns only need around 1 inch of water every 10–15 days. Deep, infrequent watering encourages roots to grow downwards, improving drought tolerance and overall lawn health.

Always check soil moisture before watering. If the ground is still damp below the surface, additional watering is unnecessary.

Watering During Heatwaves and Drought

During prolonged hot weather or drought, lawns can quickly lose moisture and begin to turn pale or yellow. In these conditions, watering becomes more important to prevent stress and long-term damage.

More frequent watering may be required, and in extreme heat, daily watering can help maintain grass health. Water early in the morning or later in the evening to reduce evaporation and ensure water reaches the root zone. If watering restrictions are in place, prioritise newly established lawns, as mature lawns can recover from short periods of dryness once rainfall returns.