Establishing a new lawn is the important final step when you install a new lawn or upgrade your existing lawn. The steps you take in the first weeks and months can ensure your new lawn is as healthy and as vibrant as you hoped.
Watering a new lawn
Water is always the biggest key to your lawn, and this is especially true when establishing a new lawn. Until it is established your new lawn gets all its moisture from its leaf, as the roots are not bedded into your soil yet.
This makes it vital to ensure your lawn gets very regular water to all areas. It is especially important to ensure you are moving your sprinkler around so that some areas aren’t receiving less water or being completely missed.
Depending on local conditions we recommend the following:
- Weeks 1 & 2: Water deeply 1-2 times daily
- Week 3 & 4: Water deeply once every second day
- Week 5 & 6: Water deeply twice a week
- Week 7 onwards: Water deeply once per week
Leaf must be kept continually moist throughout the establishment period.
Traffic & topdressing a new lawn
Heavy traffic can play havoc when you are establishing a new lawn. Your new lawn is trying to get its roots down and lots of activity from pets or children can set back your new lawn. Also with lots of water going down, and with fresh soil underneath a new lawn can be prone to moving. This will leave uneven areas or hollows in your lawn.
To get the best results all new lawns should be top-dressed. This doesn’t aid the growth of your new lawn, the purpose of topdressing is to fill in any hollows and give your lawn a flat finished surface. A new lawn should be top-dressed approximately 6-8 weeks after installation depending on local conditions.
Mowing & fertilising a new lawn
It is important to ensure your new lawn is anchored to the soil before your first mow. This usually takes 14-21 days depending on the time of year and local conditions. To encourage healthy grown you should mow your new lawn as soon as it is anchored, you can test this by trying to lift slabs. Always ensure you follow the 1/3 rule and never remove more than 1/3 of the leaf in a single mow.
The final step in establishing a new lawn is fertilising. To maintain a lawn in top class condition it will require regular applications of fertiliser, this should start in the establishment period. We recommend application of a suitable slow release fertiliser approximately 3-4 weeks after installation. Fertiliser should then be applied every 8-12 weeks.
To get more advice establishing a new lawn or to order a new lawn call our team on (07) 3114 8281. You can also to pop in and order in person at our sales office on 1/243 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge. The office opens Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7am to 12pm.
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