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Morning and late afternoon are the best times for watering new grass seed. The seed gets a healthy balance of water and sunlight, and the excess water evaporates. If you water the grass long after the sun goes down, the air is too cold, and there's no sun to make excess water evaporate. This keeps the grass damp for too long, increasing the chances of over-watering.

First, you should figure out whether you have dormant or dead grass. Dead grass won’t come back, so you’ll have to reseed if you’re hoping for a lush lawn. However, grass can go dormant if it hasn’t received enough water or if temperatures are too cold. If it’s still decently warm outside, you can revive dormant grass by watering it. But if it’s mid-January in New England, for example, you’ll need to wait until the weather warms up again. If you want to keep grass green in winter, consider a grass like Kentucky bluegrass, which maintains its color year-round.

One of the most effective ways to improve lawn absorption is to learn how to aerate your lawn. This is a process where you poke tiny holes all throughout it to break up tough soil and sediment, creating pathways for sunlight, water, air, and nutrients to seep into the plant’s roots. In turn, it promotes stronger root systems, making your lawn or plants less susceptible to pests and disease. Ideally, you’ll want to aerate your lawn at least once per year during the growing season—think late summer to early fall. 

While it may seem easier and faster to throw grass seed onto dirt and call it a day, that method likely won’t yield great results. Preparing your lawn for reseeding or seeding by clearing rocks and debris, aerating, removing existing grass, or leveling it. You should also plan out the best time to plant your grass based on its type and your location to ensure it grows well. So, if you want your grass to grow successfully, put more time and effort into the project than throwing seed on the ground.