Laying new turf in your garden can completely transform the space. When you move into a new home, getting the garden sorted is often one of the main jobs on the list. Once you’ve had your new lawn laid, it’s important to maintain it to keep it in healthy condition.

 

So, we’ve put together our team’s top tips on easy garden maintenance - read our tips below, or watch our lawn care video for more.

 

 

How to look after new turf

Once your new garden lawn is first laid, it’s completely normal to see the seams between the strips of turf before it takes root and grows together. New turf is particularly delicate over the first few weeks, so avoid walking on the grass wherever possible - ideally for three to four weeks. If you do have to walk on it - to access the fence on the other side, for example - put a wooden plank down to walk on. This stops you from leaving footprints or holes in the lawn’s surface.

Watering new turf

When it’s first laid, new turf will need to be watered regularly. It will take a few weeks for it to grow roots deep enough to access moisture, so you’ll need to keep up with regular watering. In the first two weeks, it’s recommended to water the whole lawn evenly on a daily basis. It’s especially important to give it a soak if the weather is particularly hot or if you notice the soil is dry or the grass is starting to change colour.

Because you’ll need to water the whole lawn, it might be easier to use a sprinkler connected to a hosepipe to make sure you get to every bit of grass.

When to mow new turf

It’s usually time to mow a new lawn after the first three to four weeks, or when the blades of grass start to grow. You’ll be able to check if it’s ready by pulling on a few blades of grass. If the grass comes off in your hand, it’s rooted and ready to mow. If the turf lifts, carefully place it back down and wait a few more days before trying again.

When mowing new turf, use the highest setting on your lawnmower and make sure the blades are as sharp as possible. You shouldn’t cut away any more than about a quarter of the grass length, as cutting it too short can damage the grass and stop it from growing properly.

When to feed a new lawn

You can use new lawn feed to keep your grass as green and healthy as possible. You’ll need to plan for the seasons - in the springtime, the best lawn feed for new turf will be rich in nitrogen, which helps encourage the grass to grow. You can also level the turf in the spring, using a lawn roller. In the autumn, choose a lawn feed that’s got phosphate to encourage roots to harden for the winter.

If you didn’t choose to add turf when you bought your new Redrow home, it’s advisable to cover the topsoil before too long to protect it from the weather.