Lawn Renovation Aftercare
After completing a lawn renovation, proper aftercare is essential to ensure the success of the project and promote healthy grass growth. Here are some important steps and tips for lawn renovation aftercare:
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Watering: Proper watering is crucial for the establishment of new grass seed and the recovery of existing turf. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Water lightly and frequently, especially during the first few weeks after seeding, to prevent the soil from drying out. Gradually reduce watering frequency as the grass establishes, moving to deeper, less frequent watering sessions.
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Avoiding Traffic: Minimise foot traffic and heavy equipment on the renovated lawn to allow the grass seedlings to establish roots without disturbance.
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Mowing: Wait until the new grass reaches a height of 5-7cm (2-3 inches) before mowing. Use a sharp mower blade and set it to the highest setting to avoid stressing the grass and to encourage deep root growth. Only remove one-third of the grass blade length with each mowing to avoid scalping and stress.
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Fertilisation: Wait until the new grass has been mowed two to three times before applying fertiliser. Use a balanced fertiliser with a low nitrogen content to promote root development without stimulating excessive top growth. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for application rates and timing.
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Weed Control: Monitor the renovated lawn regularly for weeds and remove any weeds by hand. Avoid applying herbicides until the new grass has been mowed two to three times to prevent damage to the seedlings.
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Overseeding: If the lawn renovation involved overseeding existing turf, continue to overseed thin or bare areas as needed to promote a dense, uniform lawn. Follow the same watering and mowing practices for newly seeded areas as for the initial renovation.
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Pest and Disease Management: Keep an eye out for signs of pest infestations or disease outbreaks and take appropriate action to control them - avoid applying pesticides unless absolutely necessary.
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Regular Maintenance: Once the renovated lawn has become established, continue with regular maintenance practices, including watering, mowing, fertilisation, and weed control, to keep the lawn healthy and vibrant.
By following these aftercare tips and providing proper maintenance, you can ensure the success of your lawn renovation project and enjoy a lush, healthy lawn for years to come. If you have any questions or concerns about caring for your renovated lawn, please don't hesitate to contact me.
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Depth: Water long enough to allow water to soak into the soil; approximately 20 minutes.
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Use a hose with a sprinkler attachment. Don’t use a hand held hose attachment as you won’t apply enough water evenly and may wash the seed away too.
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Avoid any runoff. Don’t apply water faster than the lawn can absorb it.
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Water early mornings or late evening when the moisture is likely to soak in rather than evaporate.
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If you plan to be away, a programmable timer is a simple and relatively cheap purchase to ensure the watering continues on a regular basis.
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Duration: If you have newly sown seed, keep the soil surface and seed moist for 3+ weeks. Once germinated (you can see a lot of small green shoots) you can reduce how often you water but don’t let the soil dry out.
Watering Advice
Watering your lawn is one of the most important practices for maintaining a healthy lawn and is critical after a
lawn renovation or overseeding.
Correct watering can make or break a lawn; follow these handy tips to get the best results:
Mowing Advice
Mowing is the key to a healthy lawn – each cut encourages the grass to grow more thickly, creating a luxuriant look.
It also blocks out weeds and makes the grass more hard-wearing.
Mowing height is often a personal preference and for most people somewhere between 30-60mm is ideal.
Pick a height of cut that you can maintain regularly as this is key to keeping a healthy lawn. For example if you cut it short you will need to keep it short and mow more often (more than once per week).
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Get your mower serviced regularly. Sharp blades are vital for giving a clean cut.
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Mow weekly from late Spring to early Autumn, and as required at other times.
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Try to reduce the height of the grass by only a third each cut.
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Keep the grass to a height of 3-6cm, higher during hot/ dry conditions.
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Mow when the grass is dry. Most domestic mowers will struggle with wet grass and are likely to tear, rather than cut, the grass.
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Take care with newly sown areas of lawn. Avoid mowing newly sown patches until the grass is 4cm tall, then cut them along with the rest of the lawn.