Caring for  your New Lawn

Mowing

Once your new lawn has firmly gripped the soil usually around 2 to 4 weeks (depending on variety and the season)  it is time to mow your new lawn.  Adjust  your mower height  to the desired height for your variety of turf as set out in our chart; this is only a guide as often customers prefer their lawns left a little longer. 
To adjust the height of your mower place your mower on a flat even surface, concrete path, slab etc. (be sure to disconnect spark plug lead as a precaution) get a short ruler and adjust the blade height so that the blade tip (height as shown in the chart) is above the concrete surface. As a general rule it is best not to remove more than 1/3 of the blade with any one pass, this rule applies to most varieties of lawn. Ensure mower blades are always kept sharp and in good condition. If your turf is mown often you can mulch your clippings, but if it is left too long (after rain etc) we recommend that you use a catcher.

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Watering

Give your new lawn about 25mm of water within 30 minutes of installation. Water daily, (depending on weather conditions), keeping the turf moist, until it is firmly rooted. Be sure your new lawn has enough moisture to survive hot, dry windy periods. Check turf daily, by carefully lifting small areas and checking for moisture and the sign of new roots. Once turf cannot be lifted, watering can be reduced to once or twice a week (depending again on weather conditions).

Fertilising

Fertilising is usually required once in early spring (September – October) using a general all purpose lawn fertiliser, and once in late autumn (April – May) using a good organic fertiliser available at your local nursery. Another application of fertiliser may be beneficial around December if turf colour is not what you desire although: care should be taken around this time as high humidity can encourage fungus. Avoid fertilising in the morning, as dew on leaves may cause fertiliser to stick to them and later burn them as the day heats up. Evenly spread the fertiliser over the lawn and water in immediately to avoid any leaf burn. This should be followed with a regular watering.

Disease & Pest

To avoid any fungal problems with any type of lawn it is a good practise not to apply any fertilisers in the summer months, especially in humid wet weather. However, if any brown patches or grey leaf spots appear, apply a systemic fungicide available from your local nursery. As far as pests are concerned, it is in the hot humid time of the year that the “army worm” usually attacks lawns in and around Sydney. It is a good idea to inspect your lawn regularly at this time. You should look out for any circular to irregular patches that may appear on your lawn. If  they do inspect late in the afternoon for approximately 25-30mm long caterpillars with distinctive stripes along the side of their body. These caterpillars feed voraciously on the grass blades at night throughout the growing season and attack on various fronts like soldiers ( that’s where the name” army worm” comes from), sometimes devastating entire lawns overnight. If you suspect you have “army worm” treat the lawn immediately with a fast acting insecticide such as, Baythroid Lawn & Grub Killer which has a low level of toxicity and therefore, of little harm to birds. You should always spray late in the afternoon and according to label instructions. Follow up within 5-7 days with another application and sometimes even a further application until you are satisfied all the “army worm” have been destroyed.

To keep your lawn looking as lush and green as the day you bought it,
contact Gerry at: www.lawngreen.com.au