Planting and Caring for a New Lawn: What You Should Know

Planting a new lawn may seem like a daunting task. After all, you want to make sure that you get it right, so that you have a fresh, green lawn to be proud of. The truth is that it does take time and effort to plant a lawn, but if you follow the required steps, you can get the job done successfully.

Do not rush the work. Make sure that you set plenty of time aside, without interruptions, so that you can pay attention to detail and make sure that your lawn has a good start to its existence.

Make sure the ground is well prepared

The ground where the lawn is to be planted needs to be prepared correctly. You should remove any debris, such as stones, and rake the ground until it’s smooth. Once you have done this you should thoroughly water the ground. If you notice that any puddles have formed, you need to make sure that these dips in the ground are filled in. Once this is done, a lawn roller should be used on the ground, so that it’s not too soft to support the new lawn. The ground is now ready and should be watered again a couple of days before you lay or plant the lawn.

Choosing a method of planting a lawn

There are three popular ways of creating a new lawn, laying sods, planting seeds and planting plugs.

Sods – If you choose to lay sods, to create a new lawn, remember to check sods for damage before use. You should also use a roller that is one-third full of water on the ground before you place the sods and use a sharp knife when cutting sods to size.

Seed  –When using seed to create a new lawn, it’s worth investing in the best seed you can afford. Choose a grass type that is suitable for the area where you live; there are warm season and cool season grasses. Do not forget to pay attention to the instructions on the packaging, to see how many seeds you should use, and how dense the use should be.

Plugs – Plugs should be planted in furrows or holes that are 6-12 inches apart, depending on what grass type is being used. If you decide on planting in holes, it’s a good idea to use a bulb planter to create them.

Caring for your new lawn

It’s important to care for your new lawn, right from the start. Doing so helps to maintain the health and appearance of the lawn as it grows.

• Sods should be watered twice each day to begin with. Be careful not to saturate the ground as this can have an adverse effect on the growth of the grass. Once root growth has started to appear, after a few days, watering can be done every couple of days. You should not mow the new lawn until the grass has started to grow vigorously, and never within the first ten days of laying the lawn.
• Newly seeded lawns should be misted using a sprinkler from around 7am to around 6pm. Watering can be reduced once seedlings are a couple of inches in height. Once the grass has grown to a height of 3-4 inches, the lawn can be mowed for the first time.
• Lawns that are grown from plugs should be watered twice each day when newly planted. Watering can be reduced once new root growth has formed. The lawn can be mowed for the first time once the grass has reached a height of 3-4 inches.

Do not forget to pay attention to lawn care routines even once your lawn is established.

“There is no “one size fits all” lawn care guide for all seasons. Lawn care practices are seasonal—so what is done for your lawn in the spring should be different than what is done in the summer.”

Making sure that you do the right thing, at the right time, helps to keep your lawn looking good and in excellent condition.