Laid a lawn - is it ready?

I laid a lawn last month - 29/05/09.

It's been down for 26 days and it's looking pretty good. I've watered it everyday - especially the edges - and it appears to have bedded in quite well.

Here are some snapshots:







My question: is it ready to be walked on and cut?

 

Definitely ready to be cut ... ideally I think you would have done that before it got to 4" or so

You only want to take off the smallest amount each time so it isn't stressed.

If it is 8 inches you need to get it down to, say, an inch or two (depends on the finish you are looking for, if in doubt keep it on the longer side) and I reckon you need to take anything up to four weeks to get there from the current 8"

I wonder how high your mower can cut? probably 3" - 4" max I would think? That's going to be too much in the first cut.

Perhaps you can "lean" the mower backwards to take less off?

I would cut it to somewhere near 6" first time across. The higher the better really, but depends what you can "regulate" the mower to easily.

I would then cut it twice a week. Second cut I would stick to the same height as the first cut, and then I would come down by 1/2" each time. If necessary cut it at the previous height (to remove any new growth) and then make a second pass to take off the next 1/2". Depends how quickly, and thickly, it grows.

Rolling it (after the first cut) would be good too. If your mower has a roller then that' will do that job for you!

And I wouldn't worry about walking on it now. No football matches perhaps but casual footfall will be fine.

 

I've assumed it was turf, not seed, is that right? Although given the height the treatment will be the same, but I'll be astonished if you've got seed to that stage so quickly :thumb:

 

Yes, it's turf.

Great news - I'll give it a cut tonight.

Going to have to borrow a lawnmower...I'd forgotten about that bit!

 

"I'd forgotten about that bit"

:D

Nail-scissors will take a little longer, eh?!