Care For New Seed Lawns
September 28, 2021Helpful Lawn Care & Gardening Guides
September 28, 2021Care for New Sod Lawns
Your new lawn has been carefully installed, and needs proper continuing maintenance, particularly in the next several weeks to ensure the success of the installation. Please follow the watering and care instructions below. PLEASE NOTE:
- You may walk on the lawn to move sprinklers, but keep non-essential foot traffic to an absolute minimum during the initial establishment period.
- You are not applying enough water if the edges between the sod pull apart or are separating, this indicates the sod is shrinking.
- Do NOT water at night or late in the evening.
- Make sure to water along pavement surfaces when the temperatures are warmer, as the sod will literally bake next to the hot surface.
➢ 1 Maintenance Practices (0-10 days):
Water each day for at least 15-20 minutes in each area of lawn (according to how much water your sprinkler emits). Watering a second time each day is recommended if the temperatures are over 65° and sunny. It is important to get the water through the sod and into the soil below the sod. Check to make sure you are watering enough by pulling back the corner of the sod in several places throughout the lawn to make sure the soil below is moist. Full sun areas may require more water than shady areas. ▪ Do not fertilize or mow the lawn yet.
➢ 2 Maintenance Practices (10-21 days):
Water every other day for approximately 30 minutes. By watering for longer periods of time, you are encouraging root growth deeper into the soil. Check to make sure you are watering enough by pulling back the corner of the sod in several places throughout the lawn to make sure the soil is moist. The sod should be difficult to pull up. Do NOT force it. Tug lightly to assure good rooting. If the lawn is not rooting, you are not watering enough.
Before watering the lawn, cut the grass as needed. Do not remove more than a third of the grass while cutting. For example, if the grass is 5” tall, do not cut below 3.5”. Keep the lawn at 2.75”-3.5” in height. ▪ Do not apply fertilizer to the lawn yet.
➢ 3 Maintenance Practices (3 weeks and on):
You may begin to cut the lawn as needed as the lawn should now be fairly well rooted and can take normal wear and tear. Water the lawn approximately twice per week, making sure to apply 1” of water each week. You may apply a balanced turf fertilizer 6 weeks after installation which we can take care of for you. If you are applying the product, follow the instructions carefully and use a rotary spreader. Look for a fertilizer that has a nutrient ratio of 3:1:2 which indicates the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK).
▪ Avoid applying herbicides when it is hot and dry. Wait for cooler weather.
Care for New Sod Lawns
| Water | Mowing | Fertilizer | Additional
Applications |
Recommended Practices | |
| Keep non-essential foot traffic to an absolute minimum during the initial establishment period. If the edges between the sod pull apart or are separating, the sod is shrinking which means you are not applying enough water. Make sure to water along pavement surfaces when temperatures are warmer, as the sod will bake and become dry next to hot pavement surfaces such as stone, gravel, concrete, asphalt, etc. | |||||
| 0-10 Days | 15-20 minutes,
per day, per area |
No | No |
No |
No |
| 10-21 Days | 30 minutes,
every other day, per area |
First cut after 12-24 days | No | No | No |
| 3–6 Weeks | 1” of water per
week |
Cut to height of 2.75” to
3.5” |
Fertilize at rate of ¾ lb. slow release nitrogen per 1,000 square feet | No | No |
| 6 -7 weeks | 1” a week | Cut to height of 2.75” to
3.5” |
No | No | No |
| 7-10 Weeks | 1” a week | Cut to height of 2.75” to
3.5” |
No | No | No |
| 3 Months | 1” a week | Cut to height of 2.75” to
3.5” |
Next regular
application |
First pesticide application | No |
| 6 Months | 1” a week | Cut to height of 2.75” to
3.5” |
Aerate | ||
| 1 Year | 1” a week | Cut to height of 2.75” to
3.5” |
Thatch | ||
| Notes: | Sod lawn
installation required diligent watering for longer periods of time to get roots to establish in the turf. If water is running out from under the sod, the soil is saturated. |
Do not water
the lawn one to two days preceding lawn mowing. Continue watering cycle after first cut. Sharpen mower blades regularly. |
Apply fertilizer at half the normal
rate in shady lawn areas. |
Make spot
weed control applications as needed, no sooner than 10 weeks from installation date. Use pesticides sparingly and only as needed. |
Aerate at least once per year, twice is
preferable. |