New Lawn Maintenance Tips

Watering

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Water is the most important element in your freshly planted grass. Water relaxes the seed’s outer edges, allowing the sprouting process to commence. Warm and wet earth are perfect germination circumstances for maximum growth.

What’s the right amount of water?

The general guideline is… whatever it takes to keep the earth wet without puddling until the grass grows in.

Water three to four times per day for five minutes after planting. (this may have to be adapted depending on when your lawn is installed and the prevailing weather conditions.)

Reduce irrigation to once per day for five minutes two days before your first cutting. When your grass is established and you are cutting once a week, irrigate it for 10 to 20 minutes every other day.

What happens if you over-water?

Too much water will chill the seed and delay its sprouting. Or it will flood the seed away, leaving barren areas when the grass begins to grow.

What happens if you under-water?

If you apply too little water or skip an irrigation day, the grass will dry out and perish.

When’s the best time to water?

Early morning is the ideal time to get the greatest soil exposure and the least amount of fungus issues. If that isn’t possible, the ideal time to water is in the early evening.

Mowing

When to mow for the first time?

When your fresh grass is about 3 inches tall, cut it for the first time.

Make careful to trim it high, leaving 2′′ to 2 1/2′′ of vegetation.

Don’t be concerned if your grass appears sparse in areas on the first trim. This is typical in freshly planted fields, and it will fill in as you mow and feed.

Make sure there is only a small quantity of grass in the collector at all times during the first few mowings to prevent adding weight to the mower and making footprints in the grass. You can have a complete field of grass without creating an issue once the yard is established.

Regular trimming after the grass has grown in. After the grass has grown in, keep it mowed on a regular basis. Maintain a trimmed height of 1 1/2′′ to 2′′ with weekly mowings after the third cutting.

Fertilizing

When to fertilize?

Apply fertilizer after the third cutting or after the grass has been established for about 30 days.

From late February to early November, fertilize your grass every six to eight weeks.

Your November watering will be your winter nourishment, allowing your grass to survive the frigid months with minimal development.

What kind of fertilizer to use?

Choose a “slow release” fertilizer because your grass requires a high quality balanced diet to keep it healthy and robust.

Avoid “junk food” pesticides containing ammonium nitrate.

Apply 25 pounds of dolomite lime per thousand square feet at least two weeks before your first spring irrigation (around mid-February). Lime is essential for the health of your grass because it enables the plants to utilize the minerals found naturally in the soil and water. Dolomite lime is available in powdered form, similar to fertilizer, and can be applied to your grass with a fertilizer sprayer.

Aerating / thatching

Why bother?

After three to four years, your new grass will naturally begin to compress, working like a canopy, stopping water and fertilizers from reaching the entire depth of your lawn’s root zone.

Heavy thatching provides an ideal environment for bugs to flourish and inflict devastation on your grass.

De-thatching improves air and water penetration.

Related Questions

• What is the best way to maintain a new lawn?

  During dry times, a freshly seeded grass needs daily irrigation. When the weather is breezy and arid, the growing region may need several mild waterings per day. On sweltering, breezy days with low humidity, pay close attention to soil wetness. Sandy sands evaporate rapidly and necessitate more frequent watering.

• How should a beginner take care of their lawn?

  Lawn Care Tips for Beginners

  1. Get to Know Your Soil.
  2. Fix Underlying Issues.
  3. Know the Best Grasses for Your Region.
  4. Seed Right the First Time.
  5. Feed Your Grasses Well.
  6. Fight Lawn Weeds.
  7. Mow for Height and Health.
  8. Manage Water Wisely.

• How soon can you treat a new lawn?

  Ideally, you should saturate your grass immediately after it has been installed. Then, for the first 2 to 3 weeks, moisten it every day, or until the roots have attached themselves to your earth.

• Should I water my new lawn every day?

  Watering Recommendations for New Lawns: Water new lawns every day, and sometimes more than once a day, to keep the earth wet. Allow the upper 12 inch of dirt to dry out until the vegetation is 1 inch tall.