Starting a New Lawn

Successful lawn establishment requires a fine, well prepared seedbed free of weeds and other obstructions.

• Remove all weeds and other grass types with a broad spectrum herbicide and leave for 10-14 days to ensure that all weeds have been killed.
• Remove any lumps, rocks, rubbish and plant material.
• Loosen the soil to a depth of 8cm and make the surface as even as possible avoiding humps and hollows where water will sit.
• Install watering and/or drainage systems at this stage.
• Sandy soil will require organic matter and clay soil with require gypsum.
• A new house site may have very little topsoil and may require topsoil to be added.

Spring and autumn are ideal times to plant lawn seed as there is usually adequate moisture and warm temperatures.

• Sow the seed at the rate recommended on the Curator seed container.
• Seed should be broadcast on the surface and then raked lightly into the soil providing good seed to soil contact, a lawn starter fertiliser should be incorporated at this time.
• Keep some seed in reserve to patch up any areas that were missed or get damaged while the lawn is establishing.
• Keep soil damp as germinating lawn seed should not be allowed to dry out for long periods.
• Avoid the very cold and hot dry months particularly if water restrictions are in place.

Keep the soil moist at all times while the seed is germinating. Especially in the first five days it may be necessary to water for short periods several times a day if it is hot and dry.

• Once the lawn has started to grow, water daily and then reduce watering as the lawn becomes established.
• It is better to water deeply once or twice a week to encourage deeper root growth then to sprinkle daily which will cause shallow rooting that will not sustain the lawn during drier periods.
• A wetting agent additive will help with water and nutrient retention.
• Do not water in the heat of the day and avoid night watering as this may encourage fungal diseases.
• Early morning or late afternoon are good times.

Getting the mowing right for new lawns will help set up your lawn for the future.

• Mow new lawns when the grass is 8-10cm high taking off only the top one third of the plant.
• Young grass can be damaged by close mowing.
• Do not mow when the grass and ground are damp and be careful not to drag the mower around corners as this can pull out the young plants.
• For established lawns no more than one third of the leaf should be removed each time, also increasing the mower height can allow the root system of the grass to develop and maintain grass density.
• Let the length of the grass determine when it is time to mow.