Newly Seeded Lawn Care Instructions

Watering Instructions for Newly Seeded Lawns

Water is the key ingredient for life. It is the most important factor in the success of your newly seeded lawn.
The first 3 weeks of watering are crucial. Without proper care, your seed may not germinate properly or it may simply die.
Ideally, a sprinkler system will be used. A sprinkler system waters evenly at the desired rate. After germination (2-3 weeks), the new plant develops a root system. The root system will grow stronger (with water) and root deep into the soil. Watering should be longer and more spread out now. Instead of dampening the topsoil, you are watering 2" deep and eventually 3-4" deep to establish healthy roots. It is good practice to dig into the soil to make sure it is getting enough water.
An established lawn should not be watered daily. In fact, daily watering increases fungal development and disease, chokes off oxygen exchange to the roots among other problems. One to three good soakings a week are ideal for established lawns. How many times per week depends on temperature (cooler temps = less need for water), and how much rainfall in any one week. When sufficient rainfall is present, don't water. We're all responsible for conserving water. Short waterings are also wasteful for an established lawn because the water never penetrates the root zone where it is required for a healthy lawn. So dig in (with a knife or a spoon) to find out if your lawn needs deeper watering or not.

A commercial starter fertilizer was applied with your lawn seed and hydro-mulch fibers. This initial application of fertilizer should provide the nutrients to give the young grass seedlings a healthy start. We follow up with two applications of slow-release turf fertilizer at 4-6 week intervals after germination. We do not recommend any chemical applications within the first growing season of your new lawn.
Don't forget, future fertilizer and pesticide treatments should be well balanced and applied properly to avoid injury to your lawn. A timely lawncare program, applied by a certified and licensed professional will give your lawn the best chance for a healthy life.

Shaded areas require some additional effort to assure healthy turf. Turf in these areas usually suffer in the following ways:
- Tree root systems tend to rob nutrients and moisture from the grass. Lack of sunlight caused by the shading of trees. Fallen leaves create a matted condition which prevents the turf from adequate exposure to sunlight and air.
Adequate nutrients for turf can be provided by fertilizing trees and heavily fertilizing the turf. Leaves should be raked early in the spring while the tree branches are still bare to allow the maximum amount of sunlight to reach this grass which is generally shaded throughout the remainder of the growing season. Large yard trees can be thinned to allow light to penetrate their canopy as another measure to combat shading problems.

A new lawn should be mowed as soon as the grass blades are 2-3" tall. Delaying the first cutting will cause the long grass blades to bend over, resulting in a shabby appearance. Subsequent mowing should be done often and lawn mower blades should always be maintained and sharp to prevent bruised and torn grass. The cutting heights for lawns vary according to grass species. Fescues and Blue grasses should be mowed at a height of 2" or more.