Lawn Restoration

Sometimes MGE will need to access our underground electric and natural gas systems for maintenance purposes. If this work occurs on your property, MGE or our contract crews will restore the area by covering the trench and reseeding with a grass seed mix.

Help your new lawn grow

Some seeds will begin to germinate in a few days, while others may take three to four weeks. To ensure that the area is successfully restored, please follow the below suggestions:

• Keep the seeds moist. Water daily when conditions are hot and dry. Just wet the upper 1/2" to 1" of soil.
• After four weeks, reduce the frequency of watering but increase its duration to moisten several inches into the soil. This encourages deeper roots for a more drought-tolerant lawn.
• Maintain at 2½" to 3" height. Taller lawns are more heat and drought resistant.
• Don't fertilize or use herbicides until after you have mowed five or six times. 
• Use only slow-release fertilizer to avoid burning the new, tender grass.
• Avoid heavy traffic on newly seeded areas for the first growing season.

Note: Newly seeded areas will have more weeds than your existing turf. Dormant weed seeds will sprout naturally in the soil. In time, the new grass will thicken and compete favorably with the weeds. Once the new grass is established, use herbicides or other more-natural methods to control weeds. It will take two full growing seasons for your new lawn to fill in and blend with your existing turf.

If you have questions about your lawn restoration, call MGE at (608) 252-7154. While we can't avoid causing disturbances to your lawn, we do want to help restore it to your satisfaction. We appreciate your patience and cooperation with our crews during the utility work.