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Watering a new lawn from seed in nz how often and how long

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MA
masemows 22 Apr 2026

Watering a new lawn from seed in nz how often and how long

As per my last post, I have just seeded some ETF on front and back lawns.

I have sprinklers on a timer on both lawns but was wondering how long do you let them run for?

Also, I brought a timer which doesn’t have a 3x a day option, and only allows for minimum 6 hour intervals (e.g 6:30, 12:30, 6:30, 12:30). Is it fine to leave on (and water the lawn) at 12:30am?

I am going away for the weekend and will need to leave it on to water throughout the days.

(I am about 75% cover in frost cloths).

Thanks

👍 3

Comments · 3

  • Jonny Hicks
    Jonny Hicks22 Apr 2026

    It’s not the best timer, 6 hours between irrigation intervals could be too long if it’s a hot day. It’s about making sure the seed doesn’t dry out. You normally don’t need to water through the night. I normally finish at about 7pm and on at 7am.

    That’s the problem with those timers you can’t really adjust them based on the daily forecast. You can get a wifi tap timer but they’re a bit hit and miss picking up the wifi from outside sometimes.

    Give this guide a read:

    https://www.newzealandlawnaddicts.com/lawn-tips/sowing-seed-soil-temps-irrigation/

    • MA
      masemows22 Apr 2026

      @Jonny Hicks Yeah I think I will just keep it as it is. Do you think it is fine to have running at 12:30am for Saturday, Sunday and Monday?

      Then once i’m back I will be back to normal.

      And given my maximum frequency is every 6 hours, would you recommend that I water for a bit longer per session?

    • Jonny Hicks
      Jonny Hicks22 Apr 2026

      @masemows sure it will be fine with these cooler temps. I’d personally try and space them either side of peak temps. 4am, 10am, 4pm. You’ve got a couple days to try it out and see if it’s drying out 👌

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