Frequently Asked Questions
If your questions are not answered here, or to learn more about how NuLawns can assist you, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email!
There are many common mistakes that can lead to a thinning lawn year after year, such as:
- a. The lawn may not be getting enough sunlight
- b. You may not be watering the lawn properly (overwatering is just as damaging as under watering!)
- c. The soil may be depleted of nutrients
- d. You may be mowing incorrectly (too short, too often, not often enough)
- e. You may have a drainage problem in your yard
NuLawns can help by determining which of these issues is/are responsible for the deterioration of your lawn and provide effective solutions and results-based information.
Water pools in the lowest spot if it does not have anywhere to drain. This could be a serious issue for all types of plant health, especially your lawn. A healthy lawn needs deep root growth and nutrient rich soil along with oxygen to the roots- this is not typically the environment in a poor drainage situation.
NuLawns can help you troubleshoot your drainage issues and determine the best course of action to proceed with.
The main difference is that sod will be an instant new lawn, green and lush right from the start. Sod will be ready to mow between 7 and 10 days, and can be installed at any time of the year in our climate. Sod is more expensive than seed, but will be ready to enjoy much sooner than seed.
Seed will need up to nine weeks depending on the weather to be at the same stage as sod, and it will require a lot more attention to reach its full potential. Seed is weather dependent and will not grow in colder temperatures and also does not like the heat of summer. Weeds can find their way into your new lawn a little easier with seed while it is getting established. On the plus side however, seed is much more cost effective, and will do better in tricky areas such as shade over time.
For a full understanding of the benefits of each approach and an estimate, please contact us at any point.
If you choose to install sod, two weeks should be enough for it to begin to establish in your yard, but it will still require the minimum of foot traffic (pets included) until you have mowed it at least three times.
If you choose to go with seed, this is not necessarily a time issue as much as a growth issue, and is dependent on the weather. You will need to mow the lawn a minimum of five times, and generally we recommend staying off the seeded lawn for approximately 8-9 weeks.
If the encroaching weeds, moss or pests are in over one third of your lawn it should likely be replaced. If it is in less than one third of your lawn that is in distress, you can potentially remove the weeds by hand or look at weed treatments (check local regulations and bylaws).
Moss is a symptom of shade and/or infertile soil which can also be removed manually or by treatment, and pests should be identified and treated accordingly.
NuLawns is ready to help in all of these cases, contact us today!
Depending on how much shade the area gets, your lawn may be okay there assuming the correct type of grass is installed. Sod generally needs a minimum of three hours of direct sunlight daily to maintain healthy growth, where a shade tolerant grass seed needs around two hours of direct sunlight in order to do well.
Regular maintenance is fairly straightforward when it comes to lawns, though it does require a commitment and some level of frequency to keep lawns looking their best.
Half an hour once a week is generally all it takes to weed and mow the average residential lawn, along with keeping an eye on the water levels. You can also trim low-lying branches of trees and hedges to ensure your lawn is getting adequate sunlight, and make over-seeding a yearly part of your maintenance practices to ensure the healthiest lawn possible.
Every lawn installation or renovation is different depending on the size, details, access to the site, and products used/removed. NuLawns offers free estimates in all cases and free advice as well.