# Walking on and mowing a new seeded lawn



## Newbie_seed (Sep 19, 2021)

Hi all, 
First time posting here, and I don't have much experience with lawns as I've only had a garden for the past 2 years..

I've shown a fresh lawn using A1 PRO-26 which is 40% Dwarf Perennial Ryegrass.
50% Strong Creeping Red Fescue.
10% Chewings Fescue.

I feel like it's ready for its 1st cut already, but its only 11 days since it was sown and I keep hearing that it shouldn't be walked on for 3-4 weeks.

Will it cause more damage than benefit to cut it now or do I need to be getting on with the cut in order to encourage side shoots?

Thanks in advance for any advice..


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## thin_concrete (Sep 11, 2020)

Mow it, and if you have extra seed, throw it down in the bare/thin spots. The taller grass isn't giving any remaining seedling a chance for sunlight anyway. Don't try to speed mow, but be deliberate with your movements.


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## M32075 (May 9, 2019)

The rye grass has already germinated and is aggressive to take off you're already seeing that. The fescue takes a little longer. I would cut when it's dry,sharp blade try to make no turns and bag. You should be adding more seed soon to your thin areas. Keep it moist. Great job it's looking good stay patient it's going to look fantastic by late fall even better next spring


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

+1 mow that. Walk carefully. If you don't have a drum mower or a light manual reel, let it dry out a bit so you don't rut the ground with the wheels. Walk gently without diggin in your toes or heels. The lawn will be fine.


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## jayj83 (May 27, 2021)

Let it dry a couple days, mow it and be careful on the turns. Then throw more seed down.


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## Newbie_seed (Sep 19, 2021)

Thanks for all your replies and advice.
I got a new blade for the mower today, looking forward to mowing it tomorrow &#129396;


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## Grass in Mass (Sep 19, 2021)

In the same situation as OP. I'm afraid to walk and mow the lawn. It's over 2" now and some above 3", I had to step on a spot just now and it left the grass all matted and not sure if that's ok? Im 16 DAS and tomororrow will be 14 DAG.


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## spaceman_spiff (Feb 5, 2021)

Both y'all need to mow. And the matted parts will pop back up eventually and be fine. I target 1.5" for my new grass (lowest my mower can go), and mow when I have a bunch of grass around 2". Currently almost at 28DAG and I've mowed 5 times so far. My first mow was 7 DAG.


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## jedross86 (Apr 27, 2021)

After mowing my overseed, I have been lightly fluffing up any areas that look overly matted down with my leaf blower. May not be worth on it to you to walk on your grass to do that, but mine seems to be standing up better after I do it, than it does before.


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## Grass in Mass (Sep 19, 2021)

should I bag or mulch the grass?


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## thin_concrete (Sep 11, 2020)

Grass in Mass said:


> should I bag or mulch the grass?


Bag it in case you need to throw more seed down in thin/bare spots.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Everyone is afraid to walk on new grass. It will be fine. Grass, like kids, are stronger and more resilient than we think. My 4 year old has smacked his face more times than I care to count. He's just fine.

No need to baby the grass. Cut it as frequently as you can.


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## Grass in Mass (Sep 19, 2021)

I did my first cut yesterday then applied .25lb urea and a little seed with peat in the bare spots. What should my watering schedule be like now? I've been doing 2x/day for 10 minutes at 8am then 4pm. The temps have gotten quite cool in the last week with the days only in the 60's.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

Grass in Mass said:


> I did my first cut yesterday then applied .25lb urea and a little seed with peat in the bare spots. What should my watering schedule be like now? I've been doing 2x/day for 10 minutes at 8am then 4pm. The temps have gotten quite cool in the last week with the days only in the 60's.


You might get away with once a day at 20-30 minutes. I would adjust the cycle to come on around 9am. But check it the first day to make sure once a day is enough.

You should be increasing the time each week while reducing the frequency. Perhaps next week you switch to 40 minutes every other day. Then the week after, just twice a week.


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## HunterBmowin (Jun 30, 2021)

I am kind of in the same situation and wondering what to do. 
(Chattanooga, TN) - Tall Fescue (GCI) - ~4500 sqft
I have 5 Orbit sprinklers set around the yard in a configuration that covers all areas. It seems to wet everything evenly how they are set. They are on an automated timer to water while I am at work. I am watering 3 times a day (4:30am, 10:30am, 4:30pm) at 15-20 minutes at a time depending on the temps. In testing this got the ground wet but did not cause pooling.

9/18 - Seeded and Starter fert. , got rain for 3-4 days (some a little too heavy)
9/22 - Seeded and dressed a few bare spots but didn't have much time.
9/24 - I saw good germination on 85% of my yard and washout in 15% (small patches scattered nothing major)
9/25-28 - The 85% continued to grow nicely
9/28 - Seeded washed out areas remaining and lightly dressed and pressed seed in to get good contact.
9/29 - Germination on 9/22's seeding.
9/30 - 65% of the yard is around 3 inches (estimated will measure when I get home)

I have rain and scattered thunderstorms forecasted for 10/3-10/8.
I want to wait to mow till the majority of the lawn is 4-4.5 inches. I plan to keep the grass moderately high.(3.5-4)

Should I plan to mow saturday 10/2 or will this remove the seed I put down 9/28? Would it be an issue to let the rains come through and plan to mow after? The forecasted rain is avg~ 0.3in

Any little bit of knowledge helps! This is my first time on having a lawn. My goal is a budget friendly(ish) tier 2 lawn.


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## Harts (May 14, 2018)

HunterBmowin said:


> I am kind of in the same situation and wondering what to do.
> (Chattanooga, TN) - Tall Fescue (GCI) - ~4500 sqft
> I have 5 Orbit sprinklers set around the yard in a configuration that covers all areas. It seems to wet everything evenly how they are set. They are on an automated timer to water while I am at work. I am watering 3 times a day (4:30am, 10:30am, 4:30pm) at 15-20 minutes at a time depending on the temps. In testing this got the ground wet but did not cause pooling.
> 
> ...


In hindsight, you should have mowed, weather permitting of course, before throwing more seed down on 9/28. New grass should be cut when it gets to 2" for the first 3-4 mows. After that, you can adjust your height of cut to what you would normally do.

Cutting early and often promotes more growth. Waiting for the grass to get to 4" before cutting, isn't the worst thing, but it isn't best practice.

I would absolutely cut on Saturday and cut it back to 2". Keep cutting it here 3 to 4 times and then adjust.

You might have to put more seed down anyways depending on the storm system that comes in next week.


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## CarlWD (Mar 30, 2021)

Just a quick bit of venting, and this seems like a good spot for it.

I overseeded about a month ago and have two mows in the books. My inlaws brought some large hostas over this Sunday while I was out watching football and had to slide them to the backyard on plastic garbage can lids.

I saw the hostas when I got home, and said they look great - healthy and large. Then I noticed the amount of matted baby grass in that corner and screamed on the inside.

Four days later and I think all will be fine. Had to get that out of my system.


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## JW1975 (Oct 3, 2020)

CarlWD said:


> Just a quick bit of venting, and this seems like a good spot for it.
> 
> I overseeded about a month ago and have two mows in the books. My inlaws brought some large hostas over this Sunday while I was out watching football and had to slide them to the backyard on plastic garbage can lids.
> 
> ...


You do realize us crazies on this forum are a decimal of a percent that worries and stresses to no end on grass and how it looks. Majority of people don't think past their nose about a yard. :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Newbie_seed (Sep 19, 2021)

8 months later.. 👍🏼👍🏼


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## john5246 (Jul 21, 2019)

Grass in Mass said:


> In the same situation as OP. I'm afraid to walk and mow the lawn. It's over 2" now and some above 3", I had to step on a spot just now and it left the grass all matted and not sure if that's ok? Im 16 DAS and tomororrow will be 14 DAG.


both of you guys can mow, just turn very slowly. It will feel more like a lawn once you mow a few times. Seems to stimulate the grass too if I'm not mistaken


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