"jeffrey" wrote in message
...
i recently planted from seed a tiny city(New York), backyard lawn. It
came up well and i just cut it for the 1st time(i was advised to trim it
back when it reached about 4 inches). The question i have is whether i
should leave the freshly cut trimmings on the lawn? or should i rake
them up? also, should i water less frequently now that the lawn is up?
thanks in advance for suggestions!

If you have a mulching mower, then leaving the clipping on the lawn is
beneficial. It return nutrients to the soil and cuts down on the amount of
watering that is necessary. You shouldn't leave unmulched clipping on the
lawn, especially if they are long enough to form clods. An established lawn
needs about one inch of water a week to thrive. You can tell if the lawn is
wilting from its appearance. Since you lawn is recently planted, it may
need a bit more water this summer than an established lawn. Don't over
water as that will bring on fungal problems.