Maintenance of Your Hydroseeded Lawn

Thank you for choosing to use Queenstown Hydroseeding Limited. Your new lawn has everything it needs to give it a good start – the highest quality grass seed, fertilizer and wood fiber mulch. We use a seed blend formulated for Central Otago lawns, and a high quality, balanced starter fertilizer. The mulch is 100% wood fiber mulch with a non-toxic green dye (the dye will not stain). The wood fiber mulch retains moisture and helps to protect the seeds. This will decompose to a natural fertilizer. By following the maintenance instructions below, your lawn can provide you with the beauty, value and results you desire.

Watering

Proper watering of your Hydroseeded lawn is essential for germination and starting your lawn off correctly. It is critical to follow these watering instructions.

Water frequently enough to keep moisture in the soil. Depending on weather, temperature and soil type, your lawn may need to be watered several times per day. Cool, damp days may only need one watering per day whereas hot summer days may need watering 3-4 times per day. It may be helpful to use an electronic water timer if no one is home during the day.
Too little water slows the establishment of the grass. If the seed starts to germinate and is allowed to dry out, the seedlings can die.
Too much water can cause puddling and washouts. Once germinated, too much water can cause the grass seedlings to have a weak root system (due to not enough oxygen being supplied to the roots). This slows establishment and can result in a sparse lawn.
After the first or second mowing, reduce the frequency of watering to 1-3 times per week, depending on weather conditions. Watering less frequently and for a longer period of time promotes deeper rooting.
The seed should germinate in 5-10 days under optimum conditions. Under adverse conditions it may take 14-21 days to germinate.

Mowing

Your new lawn should be mowed when the grass blades are 2” to 3” high. This is usually about 4-6 weeks after seeding. Mow to a height of 1 ½” to 2”.
A good rule of thumb is to never mow off more than one third of the height of the grass in any one mowing. Should the grass get too tall before it is mowed, raise the mower cutting height and work back down to the proper height over the next couple mowings.
Mow frequently. Mowing encourages the formation of tillers (branching out at the base of the plant). Increased tillering means your lawn fills in more quickly.
Be careful when mowing a newly seeded lawn. Keep your mower blades sharp for a clean cut. Set the mower at a slower speed to reduce the chance of pulling or “sucking up” seedlings.

Fertilizing

Your new lawn has been Hydroseeded with a starter fertilizer.
Apply a balanced fertilizer, such as 16-16-16 (or similar – preferably a mix of Nitrogen Phosphate and Potassium –a complete fertiliser), or a starter fertilizer after the first or second mowing. Follow the manufacture’s recommended rates.
Apply the fertilizer when the lawn is dry then water thoroughly to reduce the chance of burning.
Once your lawn is established, follow a fertilizer maintenance program. Fertilize 4-6 times per year.

Traffic

Keep people and pet traffic to a minimum for the first 2-3 months.

Weed Control

We have Hydroseeded your lawn with a grass seed mixture free of weed seeds. Weed seeds present in the soil can grow in your lawn area. DO NOT use any herbicides (weed killers) on your lawn for at least three months. Although products such as Weed-B-Gone and Weed n’ Feed are meant to kill broadleaf weeds, not grasses, they can harm the tender new grass seedlings. If you need weed control after three months, we recommend an herbicide spray rather than a Weed n’ Feed for two reasons: 1) you can target areas in the lawn rather than apply the herbicide to the whole lawn and 2) a spray gives better coverage of the weed than a dry granular product.

Our Commitment

Our promise to you is to be your complete source of information. We will use our full resources to aid you on site planning, preparation, growth and maintenance of your lawn to best achieve the desired results. We promise to supply only the best in seed and materials suited to match your site, intended use and desired results. We will Hydroseed your lawn in a neat, professional, timely manner with trained friendly applicators. If you have questions or if we can provide further information to help you with your maintenance program, please call Brett on 021 320305 or Tom on 021 714111