Renovation Aftercare

Watering

Water twice daily for 3 weeks to maintain proper moisture levels for seed germination. Do not allow the seed to dry out; this reduces the germination rate. After the seed has germinated, deeper watering 2 to 3 times per week is appropriate until the lawn is established.

Mowing

Once the seed germinates and is about 3 to 3 1/2 inches high, mow it using a sharp blade. Set your mower at 3 inches or higher removing no more than 1/3 of the grass. Mowing high results in the following benefits:

· Grass roots grow deeper.

· Soil is shaded resulting in reduced water usage, as well as preventing weed seed germination.

· Reduces clippings and prevents clumps of grass from covering the new seedlings.

Do not bag clippings until the leaves fall in autumn. The clippings contain nitrogen and bagging removes this valuable nutrient from the soil.

Renovation Preparation

Now is the time to prepare the lawn for renovation. First, mow the turf lower than usual, down to 2 to 2 1/2 inches. This may take consecutive mowings over a period of a few days because mowing off more than 1/3 of the grass blade at a time will stress the turf. Next, remove all debris from the turf (e.g. leaves, sticks, gumballs, etc.) A leaf rake is ideal and will also remove some of the dead grass. Then, water heavily to soften up the ground for the aeration. Finally, flag all sprinkler heads, valve boxes, and any other underground objects that may be damaged by the aerator.