5 Tips For Mowing A Newly Laid Garden Lawn

You might be wondering if mowing your new turf is just the same as mowing an old lawn. Not really; since newly laid turf has not yet rooted in the soil below, zooming over it with a lawnmower may just waste the time and money you invested in your new lawn. 

Newly laid garden turf should be treated with care, making sure that it has a chance to become established and thrive before any stressful procedures are carried out. So, before you fire up the mower, make sure to follow these five essential care steps to mowing newly laid turf

1. Water your turf as soon as it is laid

Water is your new lawn's best friend. Why? Because watering your lawn is the first and most important thing you can do to ensure that it roots properly. Depending on the time of year, it might take 2 to 4 weeks for newly planted turf to establish enough roots to be self-sufficient. 

During this initial period your turf is most susceptible to drying out and shrinking, so keep a close eye on its development. For everything you need to know about watering newly laid turf, check out this blog. 

2. Wait For Your New Lawn To Be Established

A newly laid lawn is extremely delicate, and any excessive movement might prevent it from rooting and living up to your expectations. This is why it is critical to wait until the lawn has been established before you put any stress on the lawn, this includes walking on it and of course, mowing. 

Rotary mowers, in particular, are likely to lift your turf if it has not yet had a chance to root. So, before you set out to mow your new lawn, make sure to follow step 3.

3. Check that your lawn has rooted

Your newly laid lawn will probably need to be mowed around 3 weeks after being laid. But before you set out with your mower, tug test your grass to see whether it has properly rooted in the soil.

Grab a handful of grass blades and tug. If you feel resistance, your new turf is rooted and ready for mowing. If the turf lifts, wait a few days and try again. 

4. Choose the right mowing height

It is likely that your new lawn is now overgrown, after a period of heavy watering and allowing it to become established. After weeks of patience and care, the last thing we want is to mow too much of the blade off at once and put unnecessary stress on the plants. 

Set the blades to the highest setting for your first mow and make sure not to remove more than one-third of the grass blade at once. The grass is still quite vulnerable at this stage, and we want to keep it as stress-free as possible. During the first few weeks, mowing little and often to reach your desired length will yield the best benefits.

If the grass is mowed too short too soon, the shallow roots will not cope and the turf will start to struggle and thin out, creating the perfect sports for weeds and moss to take hold.

5. Feed Your New Lawn 

You could look at your grass and believe that letting it do its thing is best, that water and regular mowing will do the trick, but that is not the case. Once your lawn is established, it is time to start thinking about the procedures that will help it stay in top form throughout the year, like aerating, scarifying, and feeding. 

You can fertilise your new turf about six weeks after laying it, making sure to use an appropriate fertiliser for the time of the year. The So & Mo Performance Liquid Lawn Feed plan has been designed by experts to keep your lawn healthy all year round.

With six expertly designed formulations that work with your lawn through the seasons, our feeding plan ensures top performance all year round, helping you keep your lawn lush and healthy.