Germination occurs when a seed begins to develop into a plant after a period of dormancy. After your lawn or area of land has been hydroseeded, it is vital that it receives the right amount of water to speed up the germination process, and then encourage stable growth. Oliver Brown Ltd are leading specialists in hydroseeding, and we’ve compiled a list of our top tips when it comes to looking after your freshly hydroseeded lawn.

Firstly, once your lawn has been initially hydroseeded, there’s no wrong time to water it until your seeds germinate. However, to speed up the process there are a few tips you can adhere to. In the spring when temperatures are not above 20 degrees Celsius, it is advisable to water at least twice a day. When temperatures exceed 20 degrees, you should water three times a day minimum. If you have an irrigation system in place, then setting the cycle to four-six times a day until germination is what we would recommend. You should set the watering time for no longer than roughly ten minutes at a time throughout the day if you are going to be watering your lawn this regularly, however this is slightly dependent on the depth of your seed bed and your water pressure. Watering methods are a personal choice as it depends on what equipment you have available; however we would recommend the little and often approach opposed to fewer but heavier drenches. Watering for shorter amounts of time but regularly throughout the day is more effective at keeping the seed bed moist, which speeds up the germination process.

There are also some handy tactics when it comes to what times of day you should water your lawn. If you choose to only water twice, then the best times are 11am and 3pm, opposed to 7am and 5pm. This is because the time between watering is less, and also in the middle of the day which is prime time for your hydroseed to receive much needed sunlight. If you leave too long of a gap between watering, then your seeds will dry out, particularly if there is a lot of sunlight. The weeds will love the drought, but your hydroseed wont!

Once your seeds have germinated, we recommend the opposite approach, watering for longer periods of time and less often. For example, watering for half an hour every two days. This encourages the roots to forge themselves further down into the soil, creating a healthier lawn. By watering every other day, the roots have to search further for water, meaning they will be trained in case of a drought.

Once your lawn is mature, you can water lengthily and infrequently. It is best to water in the mornings at this stage, and not during the night as fungus thrives in moist, dark environments. Watering in the morning ensures that you are allowing enough time for the soil to dry in the sunlight, helping to nurture a strong and resilient lawn.

For more information on watering a newly seeded lawn please click here.

For more information on Germination, contact Oliver Brown by clicking here or call 08453073774.