Do not remove any soil stabilization, hay or straw mulching material from the ground. It is biodegradable and beneficial to the soil. Just mow over it.

Do not remove lawn clippings for a minimum of three years unless they are heavy or clumpy. Grass clippings will provide nutrients your lawn needs.

Do not apply weed killer for a least 120 days.

Do not water lawns daily once established; it will produce shallow roots.

Do not be concerned with weeds in your new lawn. Most are annuals and will not return the second year. Grass, which is properly watered, mowed and well-fertilized, provides too much competition for weed plants to gain any strong hold. Some perennial types may require treatment by a lawn care specialist.

Your new lawn is like a new baby ... it needs care,

feeding, nurturing, and lots of attention.

To achieve a lush lawn, you will need to expend some

time and effort, but the result will be well worth it.

Follow these easy instructions and you should

see growth and progress. But, remember along with being diligent, you must be

patient! The minimum time to turn a seeded lawn into

sod is three years.

So, here’s some helpful information about what to do to see your grass grow!

And, remember, your home owner’s manual offers more details on how to properly

care for your lawn.*Well lot disclaimer:If you live on a homesite with a well, you will need to monitor the amount of water used and adjust your watering schedule according to your house needs or consider a watering service.

Lawn Care Don’ts

GrassFacts

How to care for your new lawn...

Lawn Care Do’sThe first 14 days are importantKeep the lawn moist at all times, soak your lawn* for 30 minutes, or until runoff is detected. This watering process should be repeated twice a day (early morning and evening), every day for the first week and every other day after that until the first cutting. Don't let the lawn dry out. If the germinating seedlings dry out, they will die.

Watering your lawn*Soil Moisture Maintenance:Turf grass seedlings must not be allowed to dry out in the first year of development. This is critical. It is of the utmost importance that you plan to maintain the soil moisture throughout the first year of your lawn's development through the use of supplemental watering. Your lawn should receive a minimum of two inches of water every 10 days. If there is not sufficient rain, you must supply supplemental watering* once every 7-10 days. Do not water your lawn a little bit every day.This will keep the root system shallow and more susceptible to drought damage in the future. A good soaking every 7-10 days is much better for the overall development of the turf.

Supplemental watering:During dry periods, you should plan to water your lawn about every five to seven days. Watering heavily once a week keeps the root system deep in the soil. Frequent and light watering will leave your turf with a shallow root system, which is susceptible to fungus disease. The best way to ensure that you are watering properly is to use a tuna fish can to calibrate your irrigation system: when the can is full, move your sprinkler to the next area of the yard.

Be sure to water your lawn early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid evaporation and fungus problems. Never water during the mid-after-noon. Typically, this is the hottest point of the day and would leave your lawn susceptible to burn out.(Please refer to your homeawner's manual for com-plete details on proper lawn watering)

Fertilizing your lawnA commercial fertilizer was applied to your lawn seed. This initial application of fertilizer should pro-vide the nutrients to give the young grass seedlings a healthy start. If needed, an additional application of fertilizer should be considered after two to three months of growth. Consult your landscaper, nurs-eryman or local home improvement center for more specific advice concerning the type and frequency that fertilizer should be applied.

Mowing your lawnA new lawn should be mowed as soon as the grass blades are 2" to 3" high. Delaying the first cutting may allow long grass blades to bend over, causing a shabby appearance.Subsequent mowing should be done often. Mow your lawn at a height of approximately 4 inches of growth, but only remove about 1 inch at that time. Lawn mower blades should always be kept sharp to prevent bruised and torn grasses which develop unsightly brown spots. In addition, the grass should only be mown when it is dry and it should be mowed in a different direction each time.

Weed ControlWeeds will appear in your new lawn. They come from seeds which have lain dormant in the ground or which have been carried in by wind or birds. These weeds can best be controlled by growing good healthy grass. Grass which is properly wa-tered, mowed and well-fertilized provides too much competition for weed plants to gain any stronghold. Should your lawn ever become damaged or have bare spots, reseed immediately to prevent compet-itive weed growth from becoming established. If weeds do appear, consult your local nurseryman or local home improvement center for the proper methods and chemicals to control weeds before they have gained a stronghold in your lawn.

Maintaining shaded areasShaded areas require some additional effort to assure healthy turf. Turf in these areas generally suffers in three ways:

1. Tree root systems tend to rob nutrients from the grass blades.

2. Lack of sunlight caused by the shading effect of trees.

3. Fallen leaves create a matted condition which prevents the turf from adequate exposure to sunlight and air.

Adequate nutrients for turf can be provided by thoroughly fertilizing trees and heavily fertilizing the turf. Leaves should be raked early in the spring while the tree branches are still bare to allow the maximum amount of sunlight to reach this grass which is generally shaded throughout the remainder of the growing season.

*Well lot disclaimer: If you live on a homesite with a well you will need to monitor the amount of water used and adjust your watering schedule according to your house needs or consider a watering service.

For specific information on lawn maintenance in your area, see your garden supplier, local home improvement center, landscaper or county extension agent.For specific information on lawn maintenance in your area, see your garden supplier, local home improvement center, landscaper or county extension agent.

Lawn Care Do’s