New turf can be a great choice for any new construction or for lawns that just don't seem to grow healthy, as you have a fresh new lawn in the time it takes to unroll that turf and put it into place. While new turf may look healthy and green and may feel very strong under your feet, note that it does need a bit of care for it to take root and stay strong; this is especially true in the first few weeks after it's been installed. Note a few mistakes to avoid after having new turf installed so your lawn always looks its best.

Watering

It's not unusual for homeowners to think they're overwatering their new turf, but it's often good to water it every day and to water it long enough until the ground feels spongy under your feet. Those new roots need lots of water to grow and attach to the soil underneath, and they're often not yet long enough to reach the water supplies underground. If you've had the turf installed during hot summer months, you might need to water it more than once per day so the soil doesn't dry out, and to keep it wet and spongy during those first few weeks.

Mowing

You may want a neat and trim lawn, but once new turf grass is installed, you need to be patient about mowing. If you cut it too short, this can allow sunlight to dry up the ground and damage the grass while it's still delicate. Each variety of turf will have a recommended height for mowing and for maintaining the lawn after it's first installed. Usually you need to wait until it's several inches or centimeters high and then only cut it just a slight bit. If needed, you might want to cut it more often than you would normally cut the grass so it's just getting a trim with each cut, and doesn't wind up being too short while still looking neat and not overgrown.

Ignoring loose spots

As your turf works to take root, it might have some spots where it actually comes away from the soil underneath. This isn't typically a problem, as long as you put those sections of turf back into place and tamp them down so the roots can take hold again. If you ignore these areas, the turf roots might never grow into the soil and that section of your new turf grass will more readily die off.

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