Knowing when to mow newly laid turf can be a minefield. After all, you have taken careful steps to lay your lawn turf correctly and at the right time and it looks fresh and verdant. But how do you keep it looking great without ruining your hard work?
Before you even start you will – unsurprisingly – need the right tool for the job, so take a look at our best petrol lawnmowers guide so you can keep your garden trim and tidy.
This quick guide will explain how to avoid this common pitfall that affects many well-meaning gardeners.
When to move new turf?
According to the experts at the RHS, you will need to wait around three weeks before you mow new turf. It also suggests that you tug on the grass first to make sure that it is well rooted and doesn't lift easily. After all, the last thing you want to do is mow the grass and damage your newly laid turf.
It's also a good idea to set the blades high on your mower so that you're not cutting too much from the grass the first time that it is mowed. Giving it plenty of time to root in and grow well is key.
After your lawn has bedded in a bit and is growing tall, check out our guide on how to cut long grass for optimal results.
What happens if you cut new turf too soon?
If you mow your new turf too soon, the shallow roots won’t be able to cope and the turf could start to struggle and become thinned out. This can lead to moss and weeds taking hold quickly.
Your lawn turf is vulnerable during the first couple of weeks and needs to be frequently watered, according to the experts at Turfonline.
Before it was harvested, the turf was growing in a field and its roots had pushed around 90cm deep into the soil. About 2.5cm of the root mass will then have been sliced off when harvesting.
They add: “This is an enormous trauma for the plant, but grass is tough and will soon grow more roots. Until those new roots grow, your turf will only be able to access water in the top few centimetres of the soil, and won’t be able to get down to the water table.”
Turfonline recommends you water your turf daily for at least a fortnight and make sure that the water has soaked through to the soil below.
Simple maintenance jobs such as this will ensure you do not need to returf the lawn again
If you are thinking of revamping your garden you will probably be wondering about costs and how much to returf a lawn. While not a huge expense, it's still a significant cost if you have to redo this job.
How often can you mow new turf?
It’s best to mow your new turf at least twice a week during late spring and early autumn and twice a week during the summer.
Turfonline recommends that you make sure your mower blades are as sharp as they can be – here's how to sharpen lawn mower blades – and that the mower is set to its highest setting.
Their experts add: “Blunt blades just tear at the grass and do untold damage. Cutting off its leaves is like taking away its food supply. Never cut off more than one-third of the leaf, and use the grass box to collect all of the clippings.”
The next cut should be in about one week’s time. Again, be gentle and collect the clippings. After that, you can gradually reduce the length of the grass and you can mow more frequently.
If you’re asking yourself 'can I cut wet grass', it's best to give new turf sufficient time to dry off first.
EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.
