Water Water is important for several reasons. As the seed absorbs water, the seed coat ruptures and the shoot and primary root emerge.
Water also allows the movement of oxygen into the seed.
In addition, water makes possible the transfer of food to the shoot and the root and if the availability of water is interrupted after this process has begun, the seedling grass plants may die. That's why it is so important to keep a new turf area continually moist until its root system is sufficiently developed to extract the water from the soil. Although there are minimum, maximum and optimum temperatures for the germination of all turfgrass varieties, most seed germinates best when subjected to the natural alternation between day and night temperatures. Kentucky bluegrass, creeping bentgrass, ryegrass and tall fescue germinate when exposed to temperatures alternating between 60 and 85 F., while warm season grasses such as bermudagrass and buffalograss prefer a warm 70 to 95 F. range. Oxygen Oxygen is essential during germination because the rate of respiration, a process with a high oxygen demand, increases rapidly in germinating seeds.