Question
We tiled, fertilized and seeded our lawn with fescue 2 weeks ago. The grass is growing very fast (about 7 inches already) but we reseeded in spots where it did not take initially. My question is, when should we mow for the first time? We had spread wheat straw on top of the seed. Should we rake it out? Also, we have barely gotten any rain in Atlanta in the last 3 weeks. How long do I keep watering on a daily basis? Should we fertilize again at some point?
After reading all the ansswers you have given to others, I wish we had checked first  with you all. Now, the grass seems to be doing good, but I am concern that we did not amend the soil or use any grass killer, etc. Are we doomed?
Thank you for all you do.

Answer
Hi Vani;
This is amusing. When I was a kid, one of my fvorite movie hunks was Van Johnson. In the 50s and early 50s. he was one of the Brad Pitts of that era.

   You are NOT doomed, BECAUSE you didn't use weed killer.
Weed killers CREATE more problems than they solve. So do fertilizers and other chemical lawn and garden treatments.

First, weed killers that say they will not hurt the grass, very often kill more grass than they do weeds.
Pre-emergent is just that, it will not allow seeds to germinte. ANT SEEDS!!!
Bulb flowers like tulips etc,,will not flower the next spring is pre-emergent is used. No flower seed or anything like that will grow. but some weeds will,,,,,,,,,
Weeds like poor soil and will not thrive in rich soil. Make good rich soil,and weeds will not like your yard.
fertilizers feed the vegetation, then wear out, that is why you have to keep re-applying them. They don't put permanent nutrients into the soil.
Beneficil microbes do. they work round the clock. Fertilizers kill them.
Insecticides kill nemeficial as well as harmful insects, and also toads lizards etc that can no longer live in your yard, and feed on harmful insects.
For every species of harmful insects, there re hundreds of species of beneficial insects that feed on the harmful ones, and improve the health of your soil with their droppings.
Sooooo, make a healthy enviornment for the beneficial species in your yard, and they will make good, rich, fertile soil.
Sugar nourishes the beneficial microbes.
I was advised at first to use dry molasses, but sugar if I couldn't find dry molasses.
Well, 8 years ago, the nurseries were not carrying it, so I used sugar.
The article didn't tell me how much to use, so I used 1 pound per 250 sq.ft.
The weeds ( and I had hundreds of them, all kinds.) started disappearing in a couple of weeks, and after about 2 more weeks, there were very few to see. the next spring about half as many weeds came up as the year before, the 3rd year, hardly any, and the 4th year, none, and none since. I use sugar in the spring and fall.
Growing plants with chemical fertilizers is growing plants artificially, so the plants develope this walls and a watery celular structure, which just attract diseases and insects. they are drawn to it.
The soil is weak, and when exposed to heavy traffis does not men as well as when organics are used.

for the soil, now, I would put down 1 pound sugar per 250 sq.ft. os soil, ( garden and lawn).
Lava sand is full of nutrients and trace elements. It can be bought at nurseries that carry a good organic line.
Alfalfa meal is a good soil additive. It has a lot of nutrients and increases the plant's growth, especially good for flowers and flowering plants. It increases the size and number of flowers.
Starting an organic program will, in time, imoprove even heavy clay soil so that is will grow vegetation well. The nutrients put into the soil by the microbes etc that live there, will actually break down and loosen tight soil.
so if your soil is loose enough to allow water to soak in well, you can relax about not tilling in amendments.
As for mowing, MOW NOW!!!
Set your mower on it's highest setting.
The rule of thumb for mowing is never to cut off more than 1/3rd of the blade length. Your's is 7 inches, so that would mean not cutting off more than 2-1/2 inches. Your mower is not going to have a 5 inch setting. So if you are lucky enough to have a 4 inch setting on your mower, set it there, otherwise, set it as high as your mower allows.
the main reason is, it will give the grass a stalky appearance.
As you cut often and water well, that will change and the blade will thicken further down, and the grass will have the appearance it is supposed to.
But for now, expect a reedy look to the grass after you cut it.

Please excuse me. I have grandchildren here today, with all sorts of neat things to tell granny, and they keep interupting me. so this is beginning to ramble.

for now, just mow it, put down sugar and water it in to a depth of at least 6 inches.
You can look into getting some al;falfa meal. I had to get mine at a feed store. the nursery that carries organuics has products with alfalfa meal in them, but I needed the alfalfa meal. It is just alfalfa chopped up very small.
You can make a tea for watering house pants, and water it into outside plants, or use it as a foliage feeding. Put 1 cup alfalfa meal into 5 gallons of water and let it set overnight. stir well, and use.
If you use it ion a garden sprayer, be sure to strain it through cheesecloth th get out the small particles, or it will clog up your sprayer.
You can add it to the soil when you are digging up a garden etc, or just broadcast it on the soil with the sugar and water it in.
I made alfalfa meal for foliar feeding nd for the house plants, then I just broadcast it all over the yard, right after i broadcast the sugar and watered the lawn.
This is the first time in 8 years I have used anything but sugar twice a year on my lawn.
I bought lava sand and added some to the soil in new plants i was potting in containers, and I think I will broadcast some all over my lawn too.
I am not sure about that straw.
You say it is wheat straw. I am thinking that if that would mow up finely, it would put some nutrients into the soil.
Try mowing just a small space, and maybe even going over the space again to mulch it up more. If it cuts into very small pieces, enough to sift down into the grass. Leave it and do the whole yard.
If it doesn't cut up well, rake it up, but i would make a compost pile in the back yard somewhere, and put it in there. You might want to incest in a compost maker.
They are quite expensive. I ordered some through the web that were less. I got them at either   www.garden.org     or www.gardenerssupply.com
It has been awhile. Both those sites are good to order from. I have been ordering from those sites for 7 or 8 years, and have never had a bad experience yet.

I don't know how much of this makes sense, so if you need any of this clarified write me back. I will send the grandkids outside.LOL
Write me any time I can help, or if you want more information on organics.
Charlotte