Caring for Your New Lawn

Irrigation

Begin watering your lawn immediately!  The wetter you can keep the seed, the sooner it will germinate and protect against storm/runoff damage.  At first, you simply need to water enough to thoroughly wet the mulch and keep it moist.  The best time to water is between 4 and 8 am; evening is better than midday. Once a day is usually sufficient, more often is even better.  Depending on weather conditions, seed should begin to sprout within 3 days to 1 week.  Once the seed does sprout, it is imperative to continue watering, as the tender sprouts can dry up in less than a day.  As the sprouts continue to grow, begin to water deeper into the soil to encourage root growth.  Once the sprouts are 2-3 weeks old, and several inches tall, you may begin to cut back from daily watering.  From this point, water until the ground is saturated, every 2-3 days.  After 60 days from germination, weekly watering should suffice, except in extreme summer conditions.  Once the lawn has been cut several times, water 3 times monthly, and soak the ground completely.  After your lawn has been established  for several months, water as needed when signs of drought are seen.  It's a good idea to watch your lawn very closely when cutting back on the frequency of irrigation. If you see signs of stress, resume the previous week's schedule and wait a eek or two before trying to cut back again.

Mowing

Do not mow your new lawn for at least 30 days or until the grass is 4” tall.  On the first several cuttings, mow higher than you typically would.  The recommended height is 4”.  The taller the grass is, the more quickly it will thicken up and fill in.  Once you do mow, it is a good practice to water immediately following the first several cuttings, as mowing can be stressful to the new seedlings.  To ensure the thickest lawn, you should mow in a different direction each time to eliminate matting.  Once the lawn becomes established, the ideal height for our seed mix is 3-3.5”.  As a general rule, do not cut off more than 1/3 of the total height of the grass at one time, or the roots will be damaged.  For example, if you maintain your grass at 3.5”, you should cut it before it gets above 5”Weed Control
Do not apply any weed control products for the first 30-60 days (consult the label of the product).  After that period,  one application should take care of any undesired weeds.

Fertilizing

We recommend fertilizing your new lawn at 30 days.  Apply at a rate 1/2 of the recommended rate for an established lawn (consult the label of the product), and apply the remaining 1/2 at 60 days.  Do not apply at the full rate or it will damage your new lawn.