by websitebuilder
•
10 Aug, 2023
Aftercare for your new lawn Once the turf has been laid it is important not to walk on it until established to avoid indentations. Moisture levels must be maintained while the grass is establishing, between March and October, newly laid turf should be watered thoroughly within half an hour of installation. Grass only takes water via its roots – water the turf so that it goes through to the soil below. This should be repeated once a day until established. Monitor the amount of water needed depending on how hot and dry weather conditions are, apply plenty of water at the first sign of the turf drying out (e.g., gaps, lifting, browning or curling.) Typically, the turf will have established after 2 weeks, to check you can gently lift a corner of the turf to see if its rooting into the soil below. If established and growing, you can lightly mow the lawn. However, if its wet and your feet are sinking, we advise to let it dry out first. Mowing – it is advisable not to cut your lawn until it has properly rooted. Make sure that the blades on your mower are sharp to avoid tearing. For the first few mowing’s, set the lawnmower to its highest setting, removing no more than one third of the grass height. When the lawn is fully established, the height of cut can be reduced gradually to an optimum height of between 15 and 35mm. Cut regularly using a cylinder mower fitted with a box to collect the clippings. A nitrogen-rich fertilizer and selective weed killer applied at the beginning of the summer will promote leaf growth and control most annual weeds, while a phosphate-rich fertilizer applied at the end of the summer will assist the production of strong roots. 6 weeks after your turf is laid you can use any of your leftover pre turfing feed mix which will provide enough nutrients for the next 6 months of growth. It is important to monitor the health of your lawn ensuring that you have a good lawn care regime throughout the year. We recommend using a local lawn care company to address the health of your lawn who are then able to identify or treat any diseases that may occur. Authored by Andrew Steven, director of City Garden Service who first established the business in 1968 and has invaluable knowledge and first hand experience.