LAWN & GARDEN
Care of Your New Lawn
- Please do not walk on newly laid turf.
- In winter stay off the turf until the weather is warmer and drier.
- WHAT YOU DO WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
Where turf has been purchased – Turf is usually laid within two weeks of Legal Completion. It is laid to ‘follow the lay of the land’ and cannot be guaranteed to be flat or level, it will require daily (or more frequent) watering. Some grass next to pathways or drives may appear dead during certain times of the year but will recover during the winter or wetter weather.
Cyden will carry out all lawn maintenance to the front garden up to the point of Legal Completion. Any dead turf at the time of Completion and reported on the day will be replaced. After Legal Completion the garden is the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain and look after.
We are pleased to have laid your new front lawn in good quality turf, but the final quality of the lawn is dependent on the amount and quality of the aftercare by yourself. Therefore, it is essential you carry out the following procedure:
WATER your turf thoroughly each evening from the day it is laid until it has begun to root down, usually after about a month. You must apply sufficient water until the ground underneath the turf is wet, i.e., so that the turf is thoroughly soaked. Failure to apply sufficient water will result in the turf turning brown and shrinking. It will be difficult to achieve a good quality lawn if this occurs.
Please keep off your turf until it has rooted down and if wet. In winter this may mean not walking on it until the spring. The watering process will make the soil very soft underneath and footprints will ruin the surface at this stage. Should you need to walk across your lawn for moving a sprinkler or access etc., use a large plank to spread the weight. Walking on the turf before it is established is one of the major causes of uneven lawns.
When the turf has rooted down, gradually reduce the amount of water given, and then allow the surface to dry for a few days before giving the initial cut. This should be given with the blades of the machine set high, and the cuttings removed. Gradually reduce the height of cut with subsequent mowing’s. A good quality cylinder mower will maintain your lawn in finer condition than a rotary mower. Please note that it is absolutely essential that cuttings are always removed. If they are not, they will ‘burn’ the turf resulting in a discoloured and patchy lawn. Damaged caused to the lawn in this manner is not covered by guarantee.
For the first few cuts the surface of your lawn may feel slightly bumpy and uneven. This will often correct itself, but you can achieve a flatter finish by crossing the whole area walking along a large plank. A roller should only be used in extreme cases, as this can cause compaction leading to poor drainage and moss growth.
Your lawn will require regular attention through the season to maintain its colour and vigorous growth. A ‘feed & weed’ product should be applied following the manufacturer’s instructions. Failure to do this will result in a poorly maintained lawn which may have bare patches & weeds or moss. Your local garden centre will be pleased to advise on suitable fertilisers.
Where gardens have been seeded, it will take time to develop and mature. As with a turfed garden, it will need regular watering and protection while growing and if you find areas where the seed does not appear to have taken this is normal and may just require more time, sunlight and moisture to encourage development. Where gardens have been seeded, it will take time to develop and mature. As with a turfed garden, it will need regular watering and protection while growing and if you find areas where the seed does not appear to have taken this is normal and may just require more time, sunlight and moisture to encourage development.
Where lawns meet pathways / driveways or block paving the grass may turn brown due to the concrete haunching of these areas. Regular water will help to keep these areas green during the hot months however in winter these areas will come back green.
We hope you will be pleased with your new lawn and our landscapers are always pleased to offer advice. However, we regret that once the new turf has been laid, we cannot be responsible for the condition of the lawn, so please remember:
WATER YOUR TURF THOROUGHLY EVERY NIGHT!