Dirt Work Care Guide | Northern Landworks

Contractor Responsibilities:

Topsoil: If we are installing topsoil, we will ensure the topsoil is graded correctly ensuring water flows away from the house.
- Please note: It is normal to see some pooling of water on a new or established lawn after a heavy rain, this does not indicate a problem with the grading. Remember, the goal is to keep the water away from your home and sometimes it’s not always possible to direct the water completely off of your property.
Seeding: Install high quality seed appropriate to location of home ie; shade mix, sun mix etc, at an application rate appropriate for your yard size. (Allow 5 to 21 days for germination depending upon type of seed and time of year and proper watering.)

Straw: Straw entire seeded area with loose straw unless straw mat is requested, straw mat installation will incur additional costs to the homeowner.
Fertilizer: Use a high quality starter fertilizer to provide nutrients to the newly germinated grass.

Homeowner Responsibilities:

Please note: Once Northern Landworks, LLC completes the installation of your new lawn and leaves the jobsite, we are not responsible for the following tasks associated with follow-up care for your new lawn.

Watering: Water newly seeded areas lightly and frequently during early stages of seedling emergence and establishment. As turf thickens, water less frequently but for longer periods, allowing deeper penetration of moisture into the soil.
- DO NOT ALLOW SEEDBEDS TO DRY OUT DURING EARLY STAGES OF TURF ESTABLISHMENT. This can cause seedlings to die due to lack of moisture.
- DO NOT OVERWATER. This can cause runoff and soil erosion. Water amount and length of watering are dependent on time of year, weather conditions, and soil types. (If you would like us to handle the watering please let us know)
Straw: Once we complete the project and leave the property, it is the homeowners responsibility to replace the straw if it is blown away (watering will help prevent this).
Over Seeding & Spot Seeding: We seed the entire lawn evenly during the initial installation at an application rate appropriate for your yard size. Allow 5 to 21 days for germination depending upon type of seed and time of year and proper watering.
- There are a number of reason spots may be bare after the grass starts to grow; i.e., birds eating the seed, watering to heavily, and in general, not all seed will germinate, etc. We will leave the homeowner with seed if we have any left over from your project. It will be your responsibility to reseed these areas.
  - BARE SPOTS ARE EXPECTED AND ARE A NORMAL PART OF INSTALLING A NEW LAWN AND IS NOT CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

To overseed an established lawn with existing grass, core aerate and/or power rake to remove thatch and lightly expose the soil surface. Seed at recommended rate and rake/drag seed into lawn surface to ensure good see-to-soil contact. Water immediately.
Spot Seeding-Aggressively rake dead spots to remove thatch, add extra soil and/or amendments if necessary and work into existing soil. Lightly sprinkle seed over bare spot. Aim for 12-15 seeds per square inch. Water immediately.

Mowing: Do not mow until the grass is at least 5” tall at a minimum. This allows the grass to grow deeper roots, the taller grass helps shade the shorter grass as it grows. For the first mow, cut at the highest setting on your mower to not cut more than 30% of grass height

New Lawn Installation Notes & Ongoing Homeowner Care Recommendations:

Installing a new lawn is a process and can take a few growing seasons (years) to establish itself and become a thick & lush lawn. We recommend over seeding yearly, aeration, fertilizer and regular watering.
We recommend limiting activity and traffic on your newly seeded lawn for a few weeks once the seed is planted. Walking on it can move the seed or kill the newly germinated grass, causing uneven bare spots in your lawn.
Weeds will grow, this is normal and can be mediated by pulling, spot treating or calling a lawn fertilization specialist.