After Care
After Care Instructions
WARNINGS (MUST READ)
All instructions MUST be followed EXACTLY as instructed.
Warning 1
Watering instructions are assuming the use of an Oscillating Sprinkler Setup (learn more here) or Professionally Installed Lawn Irrigation System.
All other watering methods are used at the homeowner’s risk and automatically voids our seeding guarantee unless new growth is visual upon a service visit by request.
Your first and last watering sessions of the day MUST be done out of direct sunlight.
Warning 2
Mowing must be done properly every week. Your mower blades must be sharpened at the beginning of each season (Every 3 – 4 months). Dull blades fail to mulch properly, tear instead of cutting and severely damage your lawn as a result.
Mowing should be timed for the first 1-3 weeks so that product and/or seeds are not disrupted. Only mow when our product is damp, but your grass is dry (1-3 hours after any watering session depending on temperatures and sunlight exposure).
For newly seeded lawns, mow every week until you see new sprouts, skip 1 week of mowing to allow them to strengthen, then continue regular, weekly mowing.
DO NOT cut your grass shorter than 3 inches unless it’s the last cut before Winter. Any lawn cut shorter than 3 inches during Spring, Summer or Fall automatically voids all warranties and are not eligible for a refund.
Warning 3
Our product may need additional raking. Watering alone may not be enough to break down some of the heavier product. If your existing grass does not grow through an area within 1-3 days, that area should be raked to assist it in doing so. This can easily be done with any leaf rake. We offer this service an unlimited number of times when needed, free of charge, but a request must be submitted by phone, email or website.
Watering After Service
Initially, all of the top dressing must be watered thoroughly, when the serviced area is out of direct sunlight, for 30 minutes. This will ensure that the soil amendment and existing soil form a saturated bond. This keeps the product contained within your turf. This step will also eliminate any odours as it cleans the air. It is highly recommended you monitor this session, to make sure water is being distributed evenly within all grass areas to avoid any pooling of water.
The watering stage that you begin with depends on many different factors including time of year, temperature and the weather forecast. Your starting stage is revealed in the email containing your receipt. Each stage is 7 days long.
If your lawn was top dressed in a previous season and Spring has sprung, start at Stage 2 when nightly temperatures remain above freezing. Do not water if snow is present.
Stage 1 is where most people fail in successfully growing new grass. Newly germinating seeds require frequent, small doses of water. Missing a single session will terminate all seeds. Setting up a water timer is highly recommended.
Stage 1: Water with an oscillating pattern for 15 minutes every 4 hours. Start the first session at 6 a.m. and the last at 6 p.m. (6 a.m., 10 a.m., 2 p.m., 6 p.m.). Rain can only replace the sessions if it falls during designated watering times. Do not anticipate the weather for your watering plans.
Stage 2: Water with an oscillating pattern for 20 minutes every 6 hours. Start the first session at 6 a.m. and the last at 6 p.m. (6 a.m., 12 p.m., 6 p.m.). Do not anticipate the weather for your watering plans.
Stage 3: Water with an oscillating pattern for 25 minutes every 12 hours. Start the first session at 6 a.m. and the last at 6 p.m. (6 a.m., 6 p.m.). Do not anticipate the weather for your watering plans.
Stage 4: Water with an oscillating pattern for 30 minutes every 24 hours. Start the daily session at 6 a.m. Relying on high chances of rain is acceptable as long as the rain actually falls for 30 minutes or more throughout the day. If not, complete daily session at 6 p.m.
Stage 5: Water with an oscillating pattern for 40 Minutes every 48 Hours, preferably in the early morning.
Stage 6: Water with an oscillating pattern for 45 minutes, twice per week, preferably in the early morning.
Regular Watering: Water with an oscillating pattern for 100-120 minutes, once per week, preferably in the morning. Only one or two heavy downpours lasting more than an hour can replace this session. Periodic rain throughout the week does not nourish the deepest grass roots.
Oscillating Sprinkler Setup
Easy steps to do it yourself
Hardware store checklist:
1 Oscillating Lawn Sprinkler: We recommend the standard design only. See figure 1. Don’t cheap out on this item, it will be used quite a bit. Do not purchase any model that includes an integrated timer.
2 Watering Timer: Make sure the timer can be set for at least 4 sessions per day, 7 days a week. If you’ve had your front and back yard serviced, you will require your timer to have at least two ports. Batteries may not be included. See figure 2.
3 Additional Hose: If needed. Traditional rubber/poly only.
4 Camping Pegs: As short and sharp as possible. You’ll need to hammer them into the ground to secure your sprinkler.
5 Plumber’s Tape: To repair possible leaks.
6 Hammer/Pliers: If you don’t already own both.
Setup:
1 Follow the instructions included with your timer purchase and install the timer directly to your outdoor faucet. Turn on the water to check for leaks. Repair any leaks by tightly wrapping plumber’s tape around any male end thread. There should be no water escaping the timer even while the faucet is on its max setting. Use pliers to ensure all connections are snug. Your timer now controls when water is dispensed.
2Connect your hose to the male end port located on the timer and the female end of hose to your oscillating sprinkler. Make sure all connections are snug and leak free.
3 Place the oscillating sprinkler in a desired area where you feel it will cover the most grass with it’s watering pattern.
4Program the current time into the timer and start a manual watering session, for 10-15 minutes, using the zone you’ve just set up.
5Follow the sprinkler’s instruction manual and configure the sprinkler so that it’s watering as much grass area as possible during its pattern. Turn off manual setting. Peg sprinkler in place.
6 Program the timer to follow our watering instructions exactly.
Recommended Mowing
Mowing is the most important task for the homeowner to get right. Even more so than watering because nature isn’t going to help you with it. The overall health and longevity of your lawn depends on these basic mowing recommendations.
Mow Sharp — Sharpen mower blades at the start of every season, except winter of course.
Mow High — 3-4 inches from ground to tip.
Mow Weekly — Mowing every week keeps your grass blades vertical, strong and dense. This helps prevent any weeds from seeding/spreading and promotes a thick lawn to choke them out entirely.
Mulch — No bag, no discharge chute. Just recycle the clippings right back into the lawn.
If you miss a week, use a bag as the clippings will be to heavy to recycle and will smother the grass. This is how your lawn gets fed between topdressing applications.
The last cut of the year should always be done shorter, roughly 2.5 inches from ground to tip. This prevents mould buildup and minimizes appeal to rodents that prefer to burrow in matted grass under the snow.