Karl – posted 06 August 2001 12:07
I finally got around to doing all the required prep work, spread a starter fertilizer, and also my bermuda seed using a broadcast spreader. Now I’m wondering how much I should be watering. No mulch was put down, only a light scrape with a leaf rake to cover the seeds. I know I should keep the seed bed moist, but I work full time and was wondering if 30-45 minutes three times a day is adequate…first in the morning (7:00AM), then again in the early afternoon (1:30PM), and again in the early evening (6:30PM). I’m located in Houston where the current day time temps approach 95-96 degrees and humidity is relatively high.
seed – posted 06 August 2001 15:01
Whoa! Karl, I have never grown grass in Houston, but that sounds like a lot of water, especially the 30-45 minute duration.
If you have spray heads they most often deliver 1.5 to 2 inches per hour, or less depending on spacing and other factors; if you have rotary heads they typically deliver between 0.25 and 0.75 inches per hour, more or less. Either way, you are applying more than enough water, because even a small fraction of an inch should rewet the surface. The new seeds are going to use little water, so the subsurface should stay naturally moist. Unless it is extremely sandy, you can reduce the duration.
With every irrigation, you can use your hand to feel the surface and the area just below the surface, to determine if watering is needed.
The frequency of irrigations may also be excessive. I don’t see the value of both the morning and evening watering. The evening would be easiest to cut out, because not much is going to happen in that period.
If it’s quite windy, I might water 3 times per day, otherwise once or twice.
Phil
[This message has been edited by seed (edited 06 August 2001).]