The appearance and health of your lawn will be affected by the environment it's living in and the treatment it receives. Therefore, careful maintenance is a critical step in ensuring that you have a beautiful lawn for your enjoyment.
Watering
Your lawn needs to be watered deeply, as soon as it is installed. Do not wait until the next day! Heat builds up in stacked sod, and your lawn is going to be thirsty now that it’s finally on the ground. Your new lawn needs to be watered twice a day for about 20 minutes per watering. This should be enough so that your lawn gets a solid six inches of watering per cycle. The morning and late afternoon are the best times to water your lawn but remember to adjust your schedule to account for rainfall. Always monitor your new lawn for signs of dryness and use a handheld sprayer to spot-water any areas that your sprinklers might not be reaching. Your lawn needs the most water during the first 14 weeks after being newly installed. Remember to stay off of your lawn for the first two weeks or until after your first mowing. This will reduce stress and soil compaction so your roots can take hold.
Encourage Roots
Your freshly laid lawn needs a steady supply of nutrients to help it grow strong during its first few months. A first application of fertilizer should go on one month after installation. This will give the sod some time to store water and recover from being unrolled. Look for a granular starter fertilizer that’s marked 18-24-12. If you’re looking for an organic solution, ask your garden center for options that are right for your type of lawn. Whichever you choose, it’s important to remember how crucial this step is to your lawn. Without a steady supply of nutrients, your new lawn will struggle to grow a strong root system.
When and How to Mow
Generally speaking, you don’t want to mow your lawn until it’s developed a decent root system. This should be around the three-week mark for good, actively growing sod. If you laid your lawn dormant in the winter, you’ll need to wait until about three to four weeks after its growing cycle begins. The rule of thumb when it comes to mowing is to never mow off more than one-third of the grass blade. Always mow high! Say that to yourself every time you start your lawnmower: “ALWAYS MOW HIGH.” If you use a lawn service to mow, ask them to keep your lawn three to four inches high; they should be able to accommodate that easily. Make sure your lawnmower blades are sharp and that they’re cutting the grass, not ripping it. Grass will recover faster, look nicer and be more resilient to disease and rot if it’s cut with a sharp blade.
Download this guide, it is here to help ensure that your new tree grows to become firmly rooted, stable, and healthy, starting with a few things that should happen before the tree is even planted. Follow these steps and pretty soon you’ll be experiencing all of the many benefits that trees provide, making your effort more than worthwhile.
