Realizing how and when to chop new grass is the key to rising and sustaining a lush, inexperienced garden that not solely provides magnificence but additionally worth to your property. Whether or not you’re a seasoned gardener or a first-time home-owner, getting the timing proper is vital to having a wholesome and resilient garden. 

For seeded lawns, persistence is vital, as it might take as much as two months earlier than they’re prepared for his or her first mow. However, lawns established with sod is perhaps ready for mowing inside simply two to 4 weeks of planting.

When Is the Proper Time to Mow Your New Grass?

Realizing when to mow your new grass for the primary time is essential for its well being and progress. When you mow too quickly, you then threat damaging the younger, tender shoots earlier than they’ve the time to determine a robust root system. The timing can fluctuate relying on whether or not you’ve began your garden from seed or laid down sod. Let’s break it down:

When to Mow a New Seeded Garden

Wait round eight weeks after you’ve planted the seed. These little seeds want time to get up, stretch out, and develop into tall, sturdy grass. This journey from seed to sprout can take from 4 to 30 days, relying on what sort of grass you’ve bought, the climate, and the soil temperature. 

After eight weeks, your grass needs to be about 3 to 4 inches tall, indicating it’s prepared for its first trim. 

However keep in mind, don’t let your grass develop too lengthy earlier than that first mow. Whereas it’s essential to attend the complete eight weeks, you additionally wish to contemplate the one-third rule. This implies by no means reducing greater than one-third of the grass blade’s top in a single mow. Chopping an excessive amount of without delay can stress the grass, doubtlessly harming your new garden. 

When to Mow a New Sod Garden

When you’ve gone the sod route, you’re already a step forward with a inexperienced garden. But it surely nonetheless wants its first trim on the proper time. Often, that is about two to 4 weeks after you’ve laid down the sod. This timing can change a bit relying on the climate, what sort of grass you have got, its top, and the way nicely the sod is settling in. 

A fast strategy to verify in case your sod is able to be mowed is to present it a delicate pull. If it stays put and doesn’t carry up simply, it means the roots are comfortable within the soil, and also you’re good to go. Simply make certain the grass is dry and set your mower on the next setting to maintain the grass stress-free.

Methods to Mow New Grass

1. Verify Your Garden Mower’s Situation

Ensure that the mower blades are sharp (right here’s a useful information on Methods to Sharpen Mower Blades). Uninteresting blades can tear the grass as an alternative of reducing it cleanly, which might stress and injury your younger grass. 

It’s additionally essential to present your mower a superb cleansing. Grass clippings and dirt caught to the mower can unfold illness and make the mower work more durable than it must. Plus, a clear mower simply works higher.

2. Increase the Mowing Peak 

Increase the mowing top to keep away from surprising younger grass by reducing it too brief. You wish to trim it, not give it a buzz reduce. 

Let the garden develop to the excessive finish of its advisable vary (and even barely larger) earlier than the primary reduce, guaranteeing you solely take away one-third of the blade size for optimum progress.

That will help you decide the proper mowing top in your grass sort, consult with the desk under:

3. Verify the Garden’s Moisture

Mow when the grass is dry. Moist grass can clump and never reduce evenly. Plus, it’s simpler to mow and higher in your mower.

4. Plan Your Sample

Be taught tips on how to mow a garden the suitable method by contemplating your mowing sample. Strive to not mow in the identical course each time. Altering your sample helps the grass develop extra upright and prevents ruts in your garden.

5. Take Your Time

Don’t rush the mow. Particularly for the primary reduce, take it gradual to keep away from pulling up any younger grass that hasn’t absolutely rooted but.

6. Mow Once more

A number of days after the primary mow, go over your garden once more to trim it all the way down to its ultimate top. This gradual method helps your garden regulate with out inflicting shock or stress.

What to Do After Mowing Your New Garden

Congratulations! You’ve simply given your new garden its first reduce. However the care doesn’t cease right here. After mowing, there are a few key steps you need to take to assist your garden get better and thrive:

1. Water Your Garden

After mowing, give your garden a superb drink. Watering helps the grass get better from the stress of being reduce and encourages deep root progress. The greatest time to water your grass is within the early morning to cut back evaporation. That is particularly essential if the climate has been sizzling or dry.

2. Contemplate Leaving the Grass Clippings

In case your mower has a mulching possibility, contemplate leaving the grass clippings on the garden. These clippings can act as a pure fertilizer, returning important vitamins again to the soil. It’s like giving your garden a bit of well being increase with each mow. Plus, it could actually prevent effort and time in cleansing up.

To be taught extra about the advantages of composting grass clippings, discover our information, Don’t Bag: Mulch Your Grass Clippings for a Wholesome Garden.

3. Monitor Your Garden’s Well being

After the primary mow, regulate your garden’s well being. Search for indicators of stress, corresponding to yellowing leaves or patches the place the grass isn’t rising as vigorously. These could possibly be indicators that your garden wants a bit extra TLC, whether or not it’s extra water, much less foot visitors, or a nutrient increase.

4. Plan Your Subsequent Mow

Don’t wait too lengthy for the following mow. Common mowing encourages your grass to develop thick and plush, however keep in mind the rule of thumb: by no means reduce greater than one-third of the grass blade’s top at a time. Planning your mows based mostly on how rapidly your garden grows may help keep its well being and look.

5. Verify for Weeds

After mowing, it’s a superb time to verify for any weeds that is perhaps attempting to take maintain in your garden. Early detection and weed management can stop them from spreading and competing together with your grass for vitamins and water.

Why Is Chopping New Grass The Proper Means So Necessary?

You is perhaps tempted to let your new grass develop wild and mow it at your leisure. Nonetheless, well timed and correct mowing is vital for a number of causes. Listed here are the primary advantages of mowing your new grass accurately:

1. Encourages Dense Development

Frequently mowing new grass on the appropriate top helps to stimulate the expansion of grass crops, making your garden denser. This density is important for overshadowing weeds and making a lush garden.

2. Promotes Robust Root Techniques

When new grass is mowed with a pointy blade on the advisable top, it encourages the event of a sturdy root system. Robust roots are important for absorbing water and vitamins, which contribute to the general well being of your garden.

3. Improves Grass Well being

Chopping new grass to its advisable mowing top helps stop the grass from changing into too tall and spindly, which might weaken the crops. Grass is a residing factor, so it’s essential to maintain it wholesome! 

4. Enhances Garden Look

Past well being and progress, the aesthetic enchantment of your garden drastically improves with common mowing. A neatly trimmed garden contributes to the general magnificence and curb enchantment of your property.

5. Prevents Garden Illness

Mowing with a clear, sharp blade additionally helps stop the unfold of garden illnesses. Torn or jagged grass cuts can open the door to fungal illnesses, which could be detrimental to new grass and established lawns alike.

Shield your new garden by recognizing the indicators of illness early. Right here’s a complete record of Widespread Garden Ailments and Methods to Establish Them. 

FAQ About Chopping New Grass

Can I stroll on my new garden earlier than the primary mow?

It’s greatest to attend till your new grass is powerful sufficient to resist a little bit of foot visitors earlier than strolling on it. Sometimes, this implies ready till it’s been mowed at the very least as soon as. Strolling on it too quickly can compact the soil and injury tender younger shoots.

Why is my new grass turning yellow after mowing?

Yellowing after mowing can occur for a couple of causes, corresponding to reducing the grass too brief or utilizing a boring mower blade that tears reasonably than cuts the grass. To repair this, make certain your mower blade is sharp and also you’re not reducing greater than one-third of the grass blade’s top.

Can I exploit fertilizer on my new garden earlier than the primary mow?

When you fertilized and planted grass seed on the time, it’s greatest to attend till after the primary few mows earlier than reapplying fertilizer to your new garden. When you didn’t fertilize when planting seed, nonetheless proceed to attend till after the primary mow. Early software can burn tender younger grass.

Initially, concentrate on correct watering and mowing practices to determine your garden. After it’s extra established, you can begin a fertilization routine based mostly on the particular wants of your grass sort.

Rent a Professional to Lower the New Grass 

Navigating the early days of garden care could be difficult, however with the suitable method, your new grass can develop right into a lush, wholesome garden. Keep in mind, persistence and correct mowing practices are key to nurturing younger grass. 

When you’re not sure about when to mow, tips on how to put together, or tips on how to care in your garden after mowing, LawnStarter is right here to assist. Join with garden care consultants who can deal with the primary mow, guaranteeing your garden will get the very best begin doable.

Primary Photograph Credit score: Adobe Inventory

Rela Catucod

Rela Catucod, a author and gardening fanatic, blends her experience in nurturing crops with useful suggestions in her articles. With expertise in caring for orchids and succulents, she is aware of the secrets and techniques to retaining crops wholesome. She goals to help backyard lovers in cultivating thriving, stunning gardens of their houses.