When to Cut New Grass For A Beautiful Lawn – Gardener Corner

When to Cut New Grass For A Beautiful Lawn

Introduction

The newly seeded glass is fragile and tender. If you cut it too soon, you will damage your lawn. The smell of cut grass is relaxing; however, don’t take it as a reason to mow your lawn too often. So, when to cut new grass and how to cut it?

They are not simple questions to answer because the exact timing depends on what type of grass you are growing. This post will provide you with general knowledge regarding grass cutting timing. Read on to discover the content.

Cutting grass
Photo credit: dmitry_ryzhkov via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA

When to cut new grass?

Timing

Newly seeded grass

In general, you newly seeded grass need at least four weeks to grow after germinating or 8 weeks in total. Their leaf blades need time to grow strong enough to withstand a mower. Besides, seedlings have to establish the roots into the soil. Otherwise, when you mow your lawn, the mower will pull the grass from the ground.

Sod and sprig installations

With sod and sprig installations, the waiting period is shorter. You can mow them after at least two weeks, but not with heavy mowers. However, we find a wait of 4-6 weeks is the best option for your lawn. During that time, the grass can be fully rooted to bare the normal mowing.

Check out some advice in this video: 

Ideal height

You can cut your new grass when it reaches the height of one and a half higher than the ideal height. I would suggest let it grow to 3 – 4 inches high before you cut it. This rule is valid to many cases. Nonetheless, as we specify from the beginning, the number may vary.

We would suggest you do some research for the specific type of grass you are growing. The time also depends on how you water and fertilize your lawn. You can base on the number we suggest and the real condition of your lawn to decide the best for your lawn.

The right way to cut new grass

Let it dry

You should only cut your new grass when both the grass blades and the soil are dry. You may want to leave the turf dry for about 48 hours before mowing. Doing so will help your mower to have a clean cut and avoid the grass from being pulled out of the ground.

Remove the right blade length

On the first cut, remove only one-third of the grass blades. Cutting your grass lower than that could invade the weed, stress it out and damage the lawn. Keeping two-thirds of the blade length allows the grass to remain photosynthesis and moist.

Mowing the lawn
Photo credit: Tobyotter via Foter.com / CC BY

Mow in various directions

Mowing in various directions encourages the grass to grow upright. On the second cut, mow in the opposite direction of the first one. That also helps reduce soil compaction. You should also use slow turns to avoid pulling out the turf.

How to take care of your new grass after cutting?

Your grass needs water to grow

As all plant, grass needs water. New grass needs moist soil to grow. Watering is critical in summer and dry season. However, more water is no better.

Water excess can damage the root and turn your lawn into a deadly scene. Water shortage makes the grass look dry, yellow, and dull. Study the amount of water your grass requires to grow in each growing stage and season.

Have a high-quality lawn mower

A lawn mower decides the aesthetic look and the health of your lawn. Its wheels and turns should be gentle with your grass. Its blade must be sharps to reduce the damage it causes to your lawn.

A lawn mower can be expensive, but it is a must-have item for anyone who wants to take a good care of their lawn. Choose the one that is most suitable for the area of your lawn and your budget.

Photo credit: Foter.com

You should fertilize your grass properly

If you want a beautiful lawn, fertilize it properly. It needs nutrients to grow, stay green, and healthy. Scattering fertilizer by hand is not the optimal choice to do it.

Not only you risking expose your skin to chemicals, but also it is hard to make sure you are fertilizing evenly. A broadcast law spreader can solve both problems. You can provide nutrients to your lawn faster, safer, and more evenly.

You need to keep your lawn clean

When fall comes, your lawn will be covered in leaves. They prevent water and sunlight from reaching the soil. That is deadly dangerous to the lawn you have put so many efforts in growing the whole time. The falling leaves also hide the beauty of your lawn.

So, you should clean the leaves off your grass to let them grow and prepare for winter. Manual cleaning can be painful, so a cleaner or vacuum is useful in this case. Let’s your lawn breathe and sunbath.

You must prepare your lawn for winter

Winter is harsh for your lawn. Although grass can survive winter, it is better you prepare them to cope with the cold season. The stronger your lawn is during winter, the faster it recovers in spring.

Basically, you will need to clean your lawn first. Any leave and debris can be a source of moss and fungus. Then you will improve the air supply and drainage for the soil. The final step is to spread the top dressing over the lawn surface.

A heathy lawn need care
Photo credit: Foter.com

Conclusion

The early care is vital to the growth and health of anything, including the new grass. If you want a beautiful and strong lawn, you should be patient and careful in every single step. A small change can make the whole different on how your turf grows.

The above tips are what we gather from our own experience. You should match them with your current situation to get the best result. We also would like to know what you think about when to cut new grass and how you take care of your lawn. Feel free to share with us below.

James G. Craig
 

James G. Craig is a gardening enthusiast who splits his spare time between growing vegetables, preening his flower gardens, and blogging about his experiences at the Gardener Corner.

Click Here to Leave a Comment Below 0 comments

Leave a Reply: