THE FIRST 14 DAYS ARE CRITICAL

The establishment of your new sod lawn is easy. All you have to do is water it.

WATERING YOUR LAWN AFTER THE FIRST 2 WEEKS

Watering is most effective if done during early morning hours, 2 or 3am, when sunlight and heat cannot cause excessive evaporation. After your lawn becomes established it requires approximately 1 ½ inches of water per week, ½ inch every other day, during the heat of the summer. Spring and fall may only require once or twice a week watering depending on weather conditions. Cut water back during the winter, sometimes your lawn will only require watering once or twice a month, depending on weather conditions.

The soil should be soaked through when watered. Water should penetrate at least 6 inches into the soil to insure deep rooting. If your lawn needs water it will turn from bright green to blue or gray-green.

FERTILIZING YOUR LAWN

Commercial fertilizer should be applied prior to your laying the sod at a rate of 1 lb. per 150 Sq. Ft. This application of fertilizer should provide the nutrients to give the sod a healthy start.

An additional application of fertilizer should be applied again every six to eight weeks. We recommend an all purpose fertilizer such as triple 15 or 16. Lawns usually do not need feeding during Dec. or Jan. Remember when you see a lawn that looks great its because the owner has done a few simple things with consistency, proper watering, mowing, fertilizing and weed control.

MOWING YOUR LAWN

A new sod lawn should be mowed for the first time between 10-14 days. Delaying the first cutting allows for to much shading, blade widening and possible sunburn.

Set your lawn mower at its highest setting, lowering a setting each mowing until the lawn is cut at 2 inches. Never remove more that 1/3 of the blade length at any mowing. Weekly mowing is a must during the growing season. Lawn mower blades should always be kept sharp to prevent bruised and torn grass which develop unsightly white blade tops.

WEED CONTROL

Weeds will appear in you 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 watered, mowed, and well fertilized provides too much competition for weed plants to gain any stronghold. However there are chemical remedies which will be able to help when your lawn has matured, usually after 3 mowings.

Pre-emergent is necessary to keep crabgrass, spurge and approximately 35 other weeds out of your lawn. Treatment should be applied the 1st part of February and again in mid May on a yearly basis.

Should your lawn ever become damaged or have bare spots, reseed or sod immediately to prevent competitive weed growth from becoming established.

LAWN DISEASES

The most common diseases are known as Brown Patch, Dollar Spot, Rust and Fusarium. A lack of water can cause stress on your lawn which will weaken it and make it more susceptible to disease. More often the cause of disease in lawns are caused by over watering as well as too frequently watering. These can be checked and controlled with fungicides, such as Dacinol.(Jun thru Aug.)

Lawn moths, cut warms and grubs are also very common and they are controlled with Diazinon or Dursban granules. (May thru Sept.)