Yes, do cut your tall grass down to about 1 1/2 inches, otherwise it'll become all matted down over winter. I don't know about Calgary, though in the Edmonton region snow mold is often a problem.

As for your newly laid lawn, at this time of the year it would not require constant daily watering, every three or four days would be plenty good given our current temperatures.

Terrance

Thanks, Terrance! I will try to mow the front lawn before the s#$% starts to fall then! :-)

I agree with the previous comments. The long grass on your front lawn should be cut and all watering on that lawn should be stopped so it can go dormant for winter.

The back lawn will still need some water to set some deeper roots, but at this time of year there really is minimal evaporation and transpiration, so twice a week, even once a week, should be ample.

Thank you, don555. I just cut the grass down to about 2-3 inches yesterday. I probably will need to do it again this coming weekend so that it's down to about 2 inches or so. I will also stop the watering too.

As to the back lawn, the temperature is now down only about 5-7 degrees during the day. At night, it's -1 or -2 degrees Celsius. When I touch the lawn it feels slightly dry but not completely so. Do I need to still slightly water it to keep the surface from drying out? Or just keep it to twice a week with deep watering? The back lawn is just one week old tomorrow and it faces south so it is very bright there when the sun is out.

Thank you again!

You don't need to keep the surface of the grass wet at all. You are trying to get the grass to set down some roots before winter, so it is just the soil that needs to be moist, and it will stay moist long after the surface of the grass dries out. Lift up a corner of the sod on one piece and you will see how moist the soil is and can judge how often to water it. Twice a week should be plenty at this time of year, I wouldn't be surprised if one good watering a week was ample.

You're doing the right thing cutting a small amount at once. Even established grass shouldn't go from long to short suddenly. When I had sod it was hard to mow because they grow it in a really springy peat medium, and the mower wheels sunk in so much it was hard not to scalp it.

I agree with Don that you don't need to water much this time of year. Water evaporates really slowly and the conditions are good for grass.

How is the new place? You're the one who got shrubs planted by the builders right?

Thanks, don and northspruce! Your advice is very timely - the temps will dip down to about -7 overnight for the next couple of days, so it'll be a pain in the behind to have to water the lawn frequently when I come home from work! I just checked and the roots are not established yet (of course - the sod was just laid down a week ago!) so I just have to make sure that the soil is moist. I will water it again later in the week when it warms up again.

Yes, northspruce, I am the guy who had the shrubs planted by the builder's landscaper. I will have to change them out next season.... sigh!

Ostrich, also do not be overly concerned if no new root development occurs before the ground freezes, although such would have been preferred, grass is very tough and the sod will quickly establish come spring.

twrosz, thank you so much - you just read my mind! I lifted up the sod and saw little root growth there, so I was a little concerned. Thank you so much for the reassurance! I guess I will just have to make sure that there will be sufficient moisture in spring! Thanks again.

I just seen a truck load of sod in transit today and recently watched a gardening segment on television of it being normal practice to lay sod until very late into the season. Yes, do put the water to it come spring, especially if the weather should be dry.

PS. Welcome to what I believe is your first winter in Alberta, it's long, dark and bitterly cold at times, so keep warm and keep your spirits up, spring will come ... in a l-o-n-g time from now :(

Calgary gets chinooks :P Staves off the insanity a little bit.