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Top Tips to Care For Your New Lawn

Mar 07, 2025
New Lawn Advice from Adam Witchell
If your lawn needs a makeover, you’ve come to the right place. Our handy guide includes helpful lawn care advice, from watering it abundantly to mowing and removing debris. We’ve also interviewed award-winning groundsman Adam Witchell to get his take on how to achieve the perfect-looking lawn.

Tips for caring for your new lawn 

Discover our top five tips below to ensure your new lawn looks impeccable year-round. 
 

1. Water abundantly

New lawns are thirsty, so remember to water them abundantly and regularly, even on rainy days. Most turf is grown on specialised farms, and its roots are cut down when lifted. This is why your lawn needs plenty of water to help it grow healthy and strong.
 
The first four weeks are vital, as this is typically how long it takes for the new roots to bed themselves into the soil. 
 

2. Don’t walk on it until it’s rooted in

You may wonder how it’s possible to lay your new lawn if you can’t walk on it. You can first lay down a board or some planks and work your way backwards from the furthest point of your garden. This way, you won’t apply pressure to it or leave any fingerprints. Keep off the turf for the first two to three weeks, if possible. 
 

3. Mow it a little and often

Another important piece of new lawn advice is to wait at least two to three weeks before mowing it. Then, check if it’s ready by grabbing a small amount of grass and pulling it upwards. If the blades come away, you can start mowing. 
 
The key to successful mowing is patience. Start by chopping only the tip of the grass so you won’t damage your plants. Doing so will encourage them to grow more shoots from the base. Avoid removing more than 25% of the grass blades in one go. 
 

4. Use a good fertiliser

The secret to healthy plants is high-quality fertiliser. Spread your organic fertiliser evenly across the lawn before watering. Then, feed it every two to three months, as mowing may remove some necessary nutrients. 
 

5. Don’t let leaves or debris accumulate

Autumn leaves are the biggest culprits for slowing down lawn growth, so try to keep the surface as free of them as possible. 
 

Adam Witchell’s lawn care advice 

Adam Witchell is an award-winning groundsman at Forest Green Rovers Football Club. We’ve caught up with him to discover his top lawn care advice. 
 

Forest Green Rovers has a reputation for doing things differently as a club. How does that affect your pitch work?

“The pitch here at the New Lawn is currently the only organic vegan pitch in the world. We use no chemicals or synthetic products, and the pitch is fed on a plant-based diet geared toward seaweed, bacteria, complex teas and sugars.
 
I think this is the best way to feed the pitch, and a lot of other big clubs are now looking more into the soil biology to maintain their pitch. It can sometimes have its challenges as grass loves – and needs – a lot of nitrogen, but it's difficult to feed it this way as a lot of nitrogen fertilisers are synthetic.”
 

What makes a good domestic lawn?

“Overall, nice coverage of grass, no weeds or moss and a clean cut.
Depending on what a homeowner wants, if you have little time but want a nice healthy lawn, use a reputable lawn care company. However, if you want an area to let the kids play and requires minimal maintenance, then artificial grasses are getting better.
 
If you have green fingers and find mowing the lawn therapeutic, then make sure your mower is cutting a good height, approximately 30mm. In other words, don’t scalp the ground and cut it too short, or this will encourage weeds to blow in and grow moss.
Always make sure your mower cuts the grass crisply and does not tear, as this will make the grass plant weak, and you can attract disease.”
 

At The New Lawn, you use a GPS-directed electric lawnmower powered by energy harnessed from the sun. What about domestic robot lawnmowers?

“The robot mower market is gaining pace. In which case, look out for a little robot to cut your lawn. It just nips off the top of the plant, and it lets it drop. Subsequently, this will feed the microbes in the soil, so you can then save on feeding your lawn.”
 

What lawn care is best in the winter?

“The best thing to do in the winter, when the grass plant has gone into dormancy, is to leave the mower in the shed. Above all, undertake some mower maintenance. An oil change or a bit of WD40 on the moving parts, and make sure the blades are sharp. On the lawn, possibly apply some liquid iron and seaweed to help harden the grass plant against the elements.”
 

What’s the secret to a world-class new lawn?

“Seaweed. Seaweed is akin to a multivitamin for plants. It helps protect the roots and feeds the plant with all the trace elements and nutrients it needs. Cold-pressed seaweed from a sustainable source is the best.”
 
If you’re ready for your new lawn makeover, why not give your front garden a new lease of life, too? Browse our brand-new homes across the UK – energy-efficient and suitable for all lifestyles.  
 
Explore fantastic homebuying offers for a stress-free move by calling our Sales Advisers today. 
 
 

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