First Two Weeks
The first watering needs to be immediate and deep.  Make sure when you lift the sod the ground under the sod is wet.  Do not let water run off the sod, if your slope is causing run off then slow down the watering by watering more often so you can save water.  Make sure also that ALL the sod is watered; it is easy to miss or get too little water on areas because of sprinklers location and time left on.

Following the first watering each watering is to maintain moisture in the sod layer and the ground under the sod.  NEVER let the sod layer dry out the first two weeks because there are few roots to find water yet.  If is warm out do not hold back on water because it might rain do not let rain chances stop the watering.  This time frame changes based on time of year.  It does not need to be so wet you can not walk on the yard, too much water is wasteful and can hurt the sod, so be watchful during this time frame.

Week Three
The third week you are well on your way and can start reducing the days of watering.  Now you want to maintain moisture under the sod layer but can start letting the sod layer dry a little to encourage the roots down to the moisture.  It is essential though not to let it dry out too much because roots are still small, if temperatures are above 80 degrees keep a good watch for any change in sods appearance, if it shows signs of changing color add water immediately.  It should be getting harder to lift sod by now, lots of roots are coming.

Week Four
The forth week and the sod is rooting in great, under normal conditions you can now cut the water back to 2 to 3 days per week, depends on temperature.  When you water make sure ground under the sod is staying moist.  Make sure you watch closely the areas around the house, driveway and sidewalks because they heat up more and may need extra watering care.

Week Five
The fifth week and beyond you now want to water at least once per week if is warm, and sunny.  Whenever you see the color change on the sod make sure you water right away, this is the grass's way of asking for water.  The sod is easier now to handle and you should be fine, just watch for long hot times as more watering may be needed.

When to water?  On newly laid sod the answer is right away after installation.  The days to follow would be anytime but evening, you would want the grass blades to dry before the sun goes down.  On established lawns watering early morning is best. We hope you find this helpful. Watering is very important to your new lawn.  With proper care your new lawn will thrive.  There is no magic answer because conditions change throughout the year, but this general guide should provide the best results.