Turf Maintenance - the First Six Weeks after Laying New Turf

Watering new turf every day for the first four to six weeks will help the roots take hold properly. You need to water lightly, but frequently to ensure it does not dry out.  

For even coverage, use sprinklers on the new lawn, but otherwise, use a hose. When watering, always check underneath the turf to ensure its wet. You can do this carefully by lifting an edge of turf to see if the soil is wet. If it is, then just water to wet the leaf blades, but if it’s not, then give it a good, deep watering.

After four-to-six weeks, carefully check a few areas to see if the lawn has taken. When you can’t easily lift the corner of your turf, the lawn is starting to establish, so you can reduce watering, depending on the weather and climate.

In times of water restrictions, there are often exemptions for new lawns, so check details with your water supplier or local council.

The table below should be used as a guide only as individual climates vary.

Avoid walking on new turf (except when watering) for at least four weeks after laying it. If laid during cooler months of the year, wait at least six weeks before walking on it. Once the roots have taken, therefore, when it is difficult to lift the edge of turf from the ground, then you can walk on it.

Similar to walking on the lawn, you should wait until the lawn has taken before mowing.

Make sure the blades on your lawnmower are sharp. Adjust the blades to the highest setting, so you remove no more than one-third of the blade. Tip! Make sure you have not recently watered to avoid the mower leaving marks in your new lawn.

As the lawn grows, you can lower the blades again, eventually working down to your preferred height. Ideally, you should only mow to remove one-third of the leaf blade. For example, if you wish your lawn to be at 20 mm, you should mow when the lawn reaches 30 mm. As a guide, in summer you will need to mow every 10-14 days, and in winter around every four or five weeks.

Regular mowing will help strengthen the root system and encourage filling in of any gaps between rolls, ensuring healthy growth and fresh, green grass.

Using fertiliser before your lawn is properly established can cause excessive leaf growth and weaken the overall health of your lawn. It’s ideal to wait around six weeks before adding fertiliser to new turf.  A slow-release fertiliser is ideal for new turf, and should contain organic matter and nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and iron to nourish the soil and promote a thick, green, healthy lawn.

Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Lawn Food is perfect for feeding and nourishing establishing lawns. It’s high in organic matter, so helps improve the soil, while gently feeding the lawn.   It’s granulated, so is easy to spread by hand and because the particles are small, they can filter through to soil level, to enrich and improve the soil.

To help maintain a healthy, lush lawn, feed with Yates Dynamic Lifter Organic Lawn Food in spring, summer, and autumn. To help boost growth, especially in the warmer months, use Yates Lawn Fertiliser Hose-On. It contains fast-acting nutrients to encourage a thick, green lawn.