This page has been formatted for printing

How to Care for your Seeded Lawn

Watering:
Water your new lawn as frequently as possible. With certain soil conditions it may require you towater as much as 3-4 times a day. It is vital that the tender seedlngs don not dry out. Water the seeded lawn with a fine even spray. What you are trying to acheive is that you have moistened the soil to a depth of 4-6 inches. Be careful not to let the water puddle or wash the seeds away.

It is safe to decrease the water around the time of the second mowing. Acommon mistake when seedlings appear, is the homeowner goes away for a day or two to go enjoy some summer recreation and allows the seedlings to dry out. Moisture and sunshine are the main ingredients to healthy germination of seedlings. A barrier around the seeded area should be established to keep humans and pets off. Once the turf becomes more established the water should be used less frequently during hot or windy weather.


Mowing:
The first time you should mow your newly seeded area is when teh turf has reached 3 inches high. Before you start mowing you will need to adjust the settings on your mower. The mower should be set on the highest setting, at least 2". It is best to keep this setting all year long. This will put less strain on the maturing seedlings. Since the seedlings are very sensitive it would be a good idea if you sharpen your mower blade before mowing. Mow weekly throughout the season.


Fertilizing:
A good lawn food should be applied to area that are to be seeded. A general 16-16-16 is recommended when sub-soils have been mixed with top-soil(200lbs/Acre). For best results this fertilizer should be applied one week before seeding this allows the phosphorus to work into the soil. Fertilizer is the key to growing a healthy lawn. You will not have a Sod Quality lawn if you don't feed your lawn. Unlike the Nitrogen, thePhosphorus stays on the surface to provide a well wetablished root system. The use of fertilizers can be applied to manufacturing instructions. These should be applied three times per year. Approximately on the 15th of each of the following months: April, June, August.

Weed Control:
It is common for weeds to be germinating with your grass seed. You should not be alarmed about the presence of these weeds, for they can benefit the seedlings by providing shade and soil stabilization. Many of these weeds are annual weeds that will be controlled through mowing practices. Others may need to be uprooted or chemically treated. Certain broadleaf weeds may still be present in your lawn after several mowings. These can be taken care of through liquid weed killers such as 2 4-D. Always follow the manufactures instructions exactly, and you should never apply any chemicals to your lawn until it is established.