Just aerated, added some soil, seed, and put some hay over my clay soil. Also took a soil test (6.5-7 ph).

This is my first day watering. Of course the internet is full of a bunch of contradictions.

I've read to only water for 5-10 minutes. Others are saying water 30 minutes+ or until the soil is wet down to two inches. Don't know who to believe. any help is appreciated

 

You don't believe any of those people. You may have made the mistake that most all do when planting grass seed ( because of all the ramblings on the net ). The soil moisture should have been adjusted before ever putting a seed in the dirt, not after planting. Can you imagine a farmer planting a field of Alfalfa then attempting to water it? That's not how it's done. He waits for a rain if necessary to condition the soil so there is a chance of seed germination. You're fortunate to have less than 3,000 acres so you may be able to manage the water if you will research how to determine how much water your particular soil needs. Your county extension service may be of assistance with this.

 

Water for a few minutes. Seed has no roots so there isn't any need for a deep soaking.

 

And what happens a week later??

It's not so much the dirt, it's the straw that needs to be kept moist, it then keeps he seed moist which causes germination.

Check it over a couple days and water enough to keep it wet on the bottom of the straw, top of the dirt.

Hope you got straw and not hay, if you did your in for a huge yard of weeds!

 

Grass seed shouldn't be allowed to dry out, so you will be better off watering it lightly multiple times a day.

 

I'm sure after reading these responses that you are as confused as when you first posted.

Germinating grass seed has shallow roots. Water lightly - no need to wet the soil two inches deep. Covered with straw the will take longer to dry. If you don't cover it water several times a day for short periods. After it germinates water daily for longer periods depending on how much natural water it's getting.

Most important - if you water just a couple of minutes or if you water 30 minutes the grass will grow.

I grew up on a farm, planted lots of alfalfa (and milo, soy and corn) and and we never watered anything. Mother nature took care of that.

 

No one has said what the soil moisture content should be. The seed that was fortunate enough to germinate and attempt to create a root is killed from a lack of oxygen more often than not by guessing the amount to water. Prepare the soil in advance of seeding and that includes moisture content.

 

Seed needs to be kept moist but not damp. That could be two, three or four light waterings each day, depending on your climate, until they germinate. Once you have grass, longer, deeper and less frequent waterings become the norm with established grass typically needing 1-2" of moisture per week (rain or sprinkler) typically delivered in two or maybe three waterings being ideal.

 

Just keep in wet at all times. If it gets dry just once, it's done. Enough said. Use burlap to help keep moisture in.