Well, it depends on who you are, a ‘Survivalist’ or a ‘Greenie’.

With established turf it should be watered just before it begins to wilt. Now, that is a turf manager’s professional advice, is that advice you should follow? It is, if you are what we refer to as a ‘Survivalist’ and not too concerned about having a green lawn. With this method during the hot summer the grass begins to wilt, it will take on a purplish blue cast, and the leaves will begin to fold or roll. When you walk on it you will leave tracks on the lawn.

It is not hard to determine how many days turf can go between watering. Thorough watering (1 to 2 hours) every 14 to 21 days will replenish moisture to plant root systems and allow it to survive the summer and recover during the fall. Remember cool season grasses will go dormant in the hot and dry months of summer. This is the plant’s built-in protection against stressful environmental condition. All plants will not survive, but the hardiest plants should recover.

If you are a ‘Greenie’ then more frequent irrigation is what you need. To maintain this look for as long as possible, tall fescue must be watered regularly. We suggest 30 to 40 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week for each area of your lawn.

Early morning is considered the best time to water. Wind is calm and temperatures are low so less evaporation occurs. Try not to water in the afternoons, temperatures are high which means evaporation rates are at their highest. Watering in the evenings and late afternoons creates a moist environment that can lead to the development of fungal disease such as brown patch. Remember the general rule for watering, infrequent and deep irrigation creates a deep root system and that makes for a healthy plant.

Newly seeded lawns should be watered lightly and at frequent intervals. During the initial growth period the seed must be kept moist, not saturated. If temperatures are cool and the air is moist watering 2 to 3 times a day should suffice. If temps are high and the wind is blowing then you might have to water 4 or 5 times a day.

The first ten days to two weeks is very important. If young plants are allowed to dry out they could die. After about two weeks, root systems begin to develop and watering frequency can be reduced. About 30 to 45 days after seeding you can water this area the same as your established turf.

Newly sodded areas need to be soaked to the point the soil under the sod is wet to the depth of 2 to 3 inches. If you were to walk bare foot on the sod water should squish through your toes easily. Each time the sod dries out re-soaking is needed. Sod roots develop fairly rapidly in about three weeks you can irrigate the same as established turf. One thing to remember about sod, yes it is instant gratification and looks good quickly, but you will still need to aerate and seed in the fall. We do not allow fescue to grow tall and seed itself.

Don’t forget to check with your town and find out when you’re allowed to water.