New home lawn mowing

New neighborhoods, new lawns

Frisco, Prosper, Little Elm and McKinney have plenty of new construction, and a new home usually comes with a brand new lawn. Many builders in North Texas lay sod, often Bermuda or St. Augustine. That fresh lawn looks great on move-in day, but it needs a little patience before it is treated like an established yard.

Give new sod time to root

New sod needs to root into the soil before it is mowed. A common guideline is to wait until it has rooted in, often a couple of weeks or so, depending on the weather and watering. An easy check is to gently tug on a corner of a sod piece. If it lifts, it needs more time. If it holds firm, it is generally ready for a first cut.

The first few cuts on new sod are usually best on the higher side, taking off only a little at a time. The general one-third rule (do not remove more than about a third of the blade at once) matters even more on a lawn that is still getting established.

Is your yard ready for mowing?

• Sod that holds when tugged: generally ready to start a regular plan.
• Sod that lifts at the corners: give it more time.
• Bare dirt or new seed: not ready for mowing yet.

Not sure where yours is? Describe it when you text Joseph or ask for a quote.

Learn your grass

A new lawn is a good time to find out what you have, since each grass is mowed a little differently. Bermuda has fine blades and is generally kept shorter. St. Augustine has wide, flat blades and is generally kept taller. If your builder paperwork lists the sod type, that is the easiest way to know.

Starting off on a schedule

Once the lawn is established, a steady schedule is the easiest way to keep it looking like it did on move-in day. Many new neighborhoods also have HOA guidelines about lawn upkeep, and a regular plan keeps you ahead of them. Choose weekly mowing or every other week. Every visit includes the full mow, trim, edge and blow-off, and you do not need to be home as long as the yard is reachable and pets are inside.

Watering a new lawn

New sod generally needs more water than an established lawn while it roots. North Texas cities may set outdoor watering schedules, so check your city's current rules. Watering is up to you, since Coopers Mowing does not set up or run irrigation.

Mowing only. Coopers Mowing does not lay sod, seed, fertilize, install or adjust irrigation, or do landscaping.