Turf Lawn Care Guide

Watering your new turf is the single most important step you need to take to ensure a beautiful and long lasting lawn. Your new turf does not need immediate fertilisation but it does require water. Water is absorbed through the roots of turf. No water enters the leaves of turf, so wetting the leaves supplies the turf with no water. Water is essential to the growth of all turf because it carries nutrients to the roots. It is important in the growth of leaves, it causes the leaves to be soft and pliable, and it makes the leaves stand up. Whilst you cannot see it, water is used by the turf plant to cool itself. Improper watering can cause your turf and you problems.

How to Apply Water

How you apply moisture is not that important, but some methods are better than others. Hand watering is generally the least accurate. Using a sprinkler is quite adequate. Using a timed sprinkler system can get you in trouble, because it may come on when it is raining and lead to water damage. Remember, it is not how long you water, but how deep the water penetrates the soil that is important.

How Often

Your turf needs water when it is growing. Therefore, during those months when you are mowing your grass, you should ensure that the turf is watered sufficiently. Generally speaking, during the months of June‐September you should water mature turf about once a week. New turf may require watering twice a day for the first week, then 2‐3 times a week, then, after 3‐6 weeks, once a week. Once your turf is established, it is best to water it well before noon, so it will dry off before evening. During the spring and autumn, the turf will require much less water than the summer, and during the winter the turf does not need to be watered at all.

Mowing your turf

Mowing your turf correctly is important for maintaining a beautiful lawn; grass is dynamic and responds to changes. Your turf will get used to how much you cut off and being cut to the same height. If you dramatically lower the height of cut or let the grass grow too long before cutting it, you can injure or even kill your lawn. Dark green leaves can withstand the intense rays of the sun, but those parts of your turf near the soil, which are shaded by the leaves, are very sensitive to the sun. Therefore, if you scalp your turf and expose those tender tissues near the soil, the sun may scorch your turf. Scorched turf will turn yellow, grow slowly and may even die.

How soon after your new turf is laid should you mow it?

Most people wait too long! Your turf was conditioned to a 25mm (1″) height of cut and mown just prior to harvest, with your new turf you may need to mow it 2‐3 days after it is laid. If this is the case, make sure that the turf is well rooted before you use a rotary mower, because the draught created by a rotary mower could lift the turf. You should try and mow your turf whenever it is over 30mm long.

How often should the grass be mown?

Mow the grass as often as it needs it throughout the year. Your lawn will grow at different rates as the temperature changes, after you fertilise or water, and so on. If you are mowing properly you should not see many clippings on the turf. You cannot damage your turf by mowing it every day or even twice a day.

Remember: Mow your new turf as soon as it needs it. It is not the height of cut, but how much of the leaf you cut off that is important. Never remove more than 1/3rd of the grass height at any one time.

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