Aftercare

Irrigation

The initial stages of rooting can be critical to your Instant Lawn, especially during Summer months. Monitor your lawn closely, browning, yellowing or shrinkage will be early signs of drought stress, however over watering under certain conditions can also be detrimental to the plant.

• Keep Instant Lawn and soil moist. Several water applications per day may need be necessary.
• A hose and sprinkler will give the best coverage, resulting in even water take up and rooting. Do not allow water to flood or pond!
• If Instant Lawn can no longer be lifted from the soil, rooting has taken affect and watering can be reduced.
• During Summer, morning and evening watering will be required for about 2-3 weeks after laying.
• Avoid watering during the heat of the day.This will encourage conditions which favor fungal disease activity.

A decent downpour of rain may not be enough to sustain newly laid lawn for long.Remember the roots are shallow at first and can only retrieve water from the very top of the soil.The deeper the roots go ,the more drought tolerance it will have.

Settling

Allow your instant lawn to settle before using it.Keep kids and pets off until it is firm enough to walk on without leaving a depression. A newly laid lawn is very attractive and alluring, rope it off or erect "Keep Off" signs if need be.

Mowing

Do not be in a hurry to mow.Your Instant Lawn will suffer shock when being transplanted and will concentrate most of it's energy on downward growing (rooting). Mowing too soon will only further stress the plant.

• Be confident Instant Lawn is full rooted before mowing.
• Mow when dry and preferably with a sharp blade.
• Only remove a little per mow(no more than a third of the length).
• Gradually lower height of cut over several mows to desired level.
• Do not allow large amounts of clippings to sit and smother your lawn canopy.
• Remember, the lower the cut the more stress on the grass and more water needed to recover.

Fertilizing

Your Instant Lawn will arrive from our nursery with a reasonably high fertility to help it through it's transition. The condition and type of the new soil will determine future fertility requirements, eg. The sandy soils of Christchurchs' Eastern Suburbs will have lower nutrient retention levels than most due to their high leaching character. Discoloration from dark green to pale green is early signs of a hungry plant. A slow release fertilizer works best and will not give you the huge growth surge resulting in almost daily mowing.Some slow release products can release nutrients for up to 12 weeks. Apply granular products to a dry lawn and water in. Apply at label rates.