Caring for Your New Lawn
A new lawn needs consistent care while it takes root, but the process doesn’t have to be complicated. With the proper watering, fertilizing, and mowing schedule your lawn will grow thick and healthy. Follow the guidelines below to establish a healthy, beautiful lawn.
Getting Your New Lawn Established
Hydroseeded Lawns
New grass seed needs moisture, sunlight, and temperatures above 58°F to germinate. Because different seed varieties grow at different rates, it may take up to 30 days for your entire lawn to begin filling in.
The first 48 hours
Do not water during the first 48 hours after hydroseeding. This gives the tacking agent in the hydromulch time to set, helping the seed remain in place and reducing the chance of washout.
Heavy downpours can still cause some areas to wash out. Reder Landscaping will return once, approximately 30 days after installation, to make any necessary repairs and apply the first fertilizer treatment.
Days 3 through 30
• Water three times per day.
• Run each cycle for approximately 3 to 8 minutes per zone.
• Apply just enough water to keep the seed moist without creating puddles or runoff.
After the first 30 days through day 60
• Reduce watering to twice per day.
• Run each cycle for approximately 8 to 12 minutes per zone.
After 60 days
• Reduce watering to every other day.
• Run each cycle for approximately 15 to 25 minutes per zone.
• Adjust your schedule as needed for rainfall and changing weather conditions.
The First Mow
Begin mowing when roughly one-quarter of the lawn reaches 3.5 inches tall, typically around 30 days after installation.
• Pause watering for 24 hours before mowing.
• Set your mower to a height of 3 inches.
• Use sharp mower blades and mow only when the grass is dry.
• Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade at one time.
• Leave or mulch the clippings whenever possible.
Regular mowing encourages the grass to thicken and helps naturally crowd out weeds.
Sod Lawns
Sod should be watered immediately after installation to keep both the grass and the soil beneath it consistently moist.
During the first 30 days
• Water three to four times per day.
• When possible, water around 9 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.
• Run each zone for approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
• Periodically lift a corner of the sod to check the moisture in the soil underneath.
The First Mow
Your first mow will usually take place 14 to 21 days after installation.
• Pause watering for 24 hours before mowing.
• Set your mower to a height of 3 inches.
• Make sure the sod has begun rooting firmly into the soil before mowing.
• Use sharp mower blades and mow only when the grass is dry.
Fertilizing and Weed Control
A new lawn should be fertilized approximately three to four weeks after installation and every five weeks after that through early November. Reder Landscaping will apply the first fertilizer treatment and can provide a proposal for continued lawn care if you’re interested.
Some weeds are normal in a newly established lawn. Spring lawns may have more weeds, particularly crabgrass during hot, dry weather. Weed-control products should not be applied until the new lawn has been mowed four or five times.
The best defense against weeds and other lawn problems is thick, healthy grass supported by proper watering, fertilizing, and mowing.
Maintenance Service & Program Offerings
Dedicated Property Managers are available to walk your property monthly to make recommendations and evaluate your landscape. Reder Landscaping offers a full range of services and programs to help protect your investment and keep your property looking its best. Our dedicated Property Managers are available to walk your property, answer questions, identify potential concerns, recommend adjustments in care, and coordinate repairs when needed.