New grass in Dubai: what to do in the first 30 days

In the first 30 days, keep new grass evenly moist, stay off it, and wait until the roots hold before the first mow. Watering starts frequent and short, then tapers as roots grow down. This is general guidance. Follow your installer's instructions for your lawn.

Key takeaways

• Water as soon as the grass is laid, and don't let the turf or the soil under it dry out in the first two weeks.
• Water early in the morning, in several short cycles, and reduce the frequency as the roots take hold.
• Keep foot traffic off for about two weeks, and keep pets and kids off if you can.
• Mow for the first time only when the grass has rooted and is clearly growing, and cut high.
• Hold the first fertiliser until the lawn is rooted. Heavy feeding in the first days does more harm than good.

How often should you water new grass in Dubai?

New turf has almost no roots in the soil yet, so it dries out fast. In the first week or two, the goal is to keep the turf and the top of the soil damp, never soaking and never dry. In Dubai that usually means several short watering cycles a day instead of one long one, because the sun and wind dry the surface quickly.

As the weeks go on, move to fewer and longer cycles so water reaches deeper and the roots follow it. By the end of the first month, many lawns are on a much lighter schedule than in week one. The exact numbers depend on the soil, the grass, the season and the sprinkler setup, so treat any schedule as a starting point and check the soil.

Water before sunrise where you can. Watering late in the evening leaves the blades wet overnight, which raises the risk of fungal problems. Midday watering loses a lot to evaporation.

How can you tell if the roots have taken hold?

Lift one corner of a piece of turf gently. If it comes up easily with no resistance, it isn't rooted yet. If it resists, roots are gripping the soil. This usually happens after about two weeks, though cool or hot weather can change that.

When can you walk on new grass?

Keep off it for roughly the first two weeks. Walking on loose turf shifts it and leaves gaps between pieces, and gaps dry out fast. If you must cross it, lay a board or a few stepping stones. Once the lawn is rooted, light use is fine. Give it a few more weeks before you host a party on it.

When should you mow new grass for the first time?

Wait until the grass has rooted and is clearly growing, often two to three weeks in. Make sure the lawn is dry on mowing day. Set the mower high for the first cuts, and never take off more than about a third of the blade length at once. A sharp blade gives a cleaner cut and a dull blade tears and stresses young grass.

Bermuda and Paspalum, the two grasses we supply, are warm-season grasses that cope with Dubai's climate better than cool-season grasses. Both still need care while they establish.

When should you fertilise new grass?

Wait until the lawn is rooted and growing before the first feed, typically around the end of the first month. Follow the product label for the amount. Over-feeding new grass in heat can scorch it. If your installer has given you a fertilising schedule, use that instead.

What are the signs of trouble in the first month?

• Brown or crisp edges and corners, which usually mean they are drying out faster than the middle.
• Gaps opening between pieces of turf.
• Yellow patches, which can point to a watering problem (too much or too little), poor drainage or a blocked sprinkler head.
• Grey or slimy patches, which can be a fungal problem after wet nights.
• Turf that lifts easily at three or four weeks, which suggests the roots aren't taking.
• Dry spots near walls and paving that radiate heat.

Check each sprinkler zone by running it and watching for uneven coverage. A single blocked head can dry out a patch within days in warm weather.

What changes in Dubai's summer heat?

Laying grass in the hottest months is harder because new turf dries quickly and the soil gets very hot. If you can choose, October to March is gentler on new grass. If the job has to happen in summer, watering becomes more frequent and the margin for error shrinks, so check the lawn several times a day in the first week.

For the wider seasonal picture, see our UAE garden calendar and the guide to grass installation in the UAE.

What does grass installation cost?

Natural grass supply and installation starts from AED 70 per sqm for Bermuda and AED 85 per sqm for Paspalum, with no minimum area. See grass installation in Dubai or book a free site visit for a quote.

Reviewed by Hamza, site supervisor at Green Beetle.