Brighton Reticulation installs a lot of new lawns in the northern suburbs and we have learnt some keys to keeping them looking sensational. (This subject will be broken into several posts for ease of reading.)
Watering is by far the most important factor in the early days of getting a lawn going. Water, water, water! Be sure to apply to the Water Authority for a watering exemption, which will allow you to water more often than normal (usually 3 times a day in the hotter months and twice a day over winter)
You can learn more about water exemptions here : or just call 131039.
If the lawn is looking dry even with the exemption schedule then a brief hand watering to keep it moist would be advisable. Virtually the only way to kill a new lawn is to not water it.
Once your lawn is established you should water during the recommended times set by the Water Corporation. It is also recommended you use a wetting agent on a regular basis to ensure that your lawn is getting the maximum benefit of your watering.
If you are setting your reticulation control box then make sure you check to see if the turf is getting watered at the appropriate times. A power outage can affect your settings or you may just set it incorrectly so its best to be sure. I have made this mistake and ended up coming back a week later to find a dry, brown, crunchy lawn… not good!