Congratulations on your freshly laid lawn! The hard work is now out of the way, but there are still some very important steps to take to ensure your investment and hard work is a success. Today I am going to give you some tips on how to correctly irrigate a new lawn.
Once the installation is complete, it is essential to irrigate the turf right away, regardless of the time of year. You have to water reasonably deeply early on to ensure you soak the turf and the top layer of sub soil. This will give the new turf roots good, moist soil to grow into.
As a general rule you should be watering a new lawn at least every day for the first 3 weeks. In summer, you should look at 2-3 watering’s per day in the first week as the turf and sub soil can dry out very quickly. You should be looking to be irrigating each area for a minimum of 25 mins per day. Again, in the heat of summer this should be done 2-3 times a day.
A nice little trick to follow is when you finish watering, dunk a towel in water and hang it on the clothesline or fence. Once the towel is dry, your lawn is ready for a drink again.
The best times to water are in the morning and early afternoon. Watering in the coo of the morning on a new lawn will ensure it stays wetter for longer, whilst watering again in the afternoon on hot days will ensure your lawn isn’t drying out in the heat of the afternoon. If you can’t be there all the time to water your new lawn, remember that less frequent, deeper watering’s is the most efficient irrigation method.
Once the 3-week period is up, check the turf rolls to see if they are established to the ground. If they are, you can reduce the watering to 2-3 times per week. Again, if we are having consistent hot days it is recommended to keep watering every day until you are mowing regularly. If you have chosen TifTuf as a lawn variety, it can establish and be ready for mowing in as little as 5 days, so you can reduce the watering after that time.
After the 4-week period, most lawn varieties will be established and ready for its first mow.
Before doing this, ensure you cannot lift any of the slabs up to ensure they have rooted into the soil.
When you are mowing for the first time, mow on a slightly higher setting than normal then slowly bring it down to your preferred height over the next 2 or 3 mows. Continue watering a couple of times per week over this period to ensure the turf doesn't dry out.
After your first initial mow, you can back the irrigation off to once a week, or on an as need basis.
Please remember that different varieties require different amount of water, and the time of year plays a role in how much water is needed as well. If you are unsure, please get in touch with your local Lawn Solutions Australia member for more information. Also keep an eye on shaded areas, they will require less water, but it will be important to trim back any overhanging trees as much as possible during the establishment period.
After about 6 weeks your lawn will be due for a fertilise to really finish the establishment period off. This should be done with an NPK fertiliser and watered in well after application.
Now, it's time to get out there and enjoy your lawn! Remember to fertilise every 8-10 weeks and water as required.
Don't be afraid to contact us if you have any questions along the way!
Lawn Solutions Australia is a group of Australia’s best and most experienced turf growers. Whether you are looking for a new turf variety, for lawn care advice or for lawn product tips - we have you covered. For regular videos throughout the year relating to each season, be sure to subscribe to keep up to date with everything turf. Proud Suppliers of Sir Walter DNA Certified Soft Leaf Buffalo, Sir Grange Zoysia & TifTuf Hybrid Bermuda.🌱
