New Landscaping Care Guide

New Landscaping Care Guide Edmonton

Just had sod, final grading, paving stones, or new plants installed? Follow this guide so your new landscaping establishes properly and survives Edmonton’s first winter.

1. The “Critical 14 Days” (Sod & Plants)

Watering schedule: New sod in Edmonton needs to stay spongy for the first 14 days. Water twice daily (morning and late afternoon) for about 20 minutes per zone. If the edges turn brown, you aren’t overlapping your sprinkler coverage enough—adjust so every strip gets full overlap.

The first mow: Do not mow new sod until it is 3–4 inches high and you cannot pull the corners of the “carpet” up from the soil. Set your mower to the highest setting for the first month so you don’t scalp the roots.

Tree deep-soaking: Newly planted Zone 3 trees (like maples or aspens) need a deep soak once a week. Leave a hose on a slow trickle at the base for about 30 minutes rather than frequent light sprays. That encourages roots to grow down instead of staying at the surface.

2. The Final Grade “Settling” Period

The sinkhole check: Even the best final grading can’t stop nature. After the first heavy rainfall, check the soil around your foundation and fence posts. If you see dipping or low spots, fill them immediately with extra topsoil to maintain your 2% slope away from the house. Ignoring small dips can turn into drainage problems and failed inspections.

The “pass” certificate: If you just finished grading, ensure you receive the Approval of Final Grade letter from the City of Edmonton. Keep this in your permanent home records—you’ll need it when you sell the house.

3. Hardscape Maintenance (Stone & Walls)

Polymeric sand haze: If you have new paving stones, you might see a white “haze” (efflorescence) on the surface. This is normal. Do not pressure wash it; it will naturally wear off in 6–12 months. Pressure washing can damage the sand in the joints.

Joint refills: Check the sand between your stones after the first winter. Edmonton’s freeze-thaw often causes minor shifting; you may need to sweep in a bit more polymeric sand (e.g. Techniseal) to keep the joints locked and prevent weeds.

4. Preparing for the First Winter

Blow out sprinklers: By late September, hire a company like Nutri-Lawn Edmonton or Salisbury to blow out your irrigation lines. One night at -5°C can freeze water in the pipes and shatter them. Don’t skip this.

Wrap the “younglings”: Young trees—especially evergreens—should be wrapped in burlap for their first two winters to protect them from winter burn caused by dry Edmonton wind and reflective snow.

Shut off exterior taps: Disconnect all hoses and shut off the water to exterior taps from the inside of your basement. That prevents the pipes from freezing and bursting.

Questions about aftercare or want a quote for new sod, final grading, or paving stones? For driveway and walkway clearing in winter, see our snow removal service. Contact us or call 587-566-9879.