Customer has new sod, when to remove.

[1Badhawk]

A new customer of mine has new grass that was laid in the fall. The previous LCO applied a light straw covering. Theres about 1" of growth should I wait until theirs a good 3" to mow it the first time? and should I leave the straw until then and mow straw with grass or remove the straw prior to cutting. Its a light layer thinned out over the winter, not much their really.

[Phil Nilsson]

A new customer of mine has new grass that was laid in the fall. The previous LCO applied a light straw covering. Theres about 1" of growth should I wait until theirs a good 3" to mow it the first time? and should I leave the straw until then and mow straw with grass or remove the straw prior to cutting. Its a light layer thinned out over the winter, not much their really.

Leave the straw in place - don't remove it - mow it over it - let it stay where it lay ... mow grass first time at about 3 inches but >>>> more important is to mow only when good and dry ... keep raking to a minimum because it's likely that new shoots (if this is a seeded lawn) are still developing as the soil cover reaches the right depth (due to erosion) and hence germination will happen ... tread easy on any new lawn ... go slow ... otherwise damage the new lawn