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GUIDE TO LAYING LAWN
TURF & LAWN CARE
Preparation of the site
Preparation is key when laying a
new turf lawn. The time which is spent preparing the area ready for turfing will ensure a great looking lawn.
If there is
an existing lawn to be removed this can easily be done by either rotavating or carefully digging below the surface to remove the top layer
of lawn grass in squares or slabs.
For large gardens it is possible
to hire a rotavator, or mini turf cutter,
which are readily available from
a good hire shop.
 Remove all visible debris, rocks, stone,
etc from the site and rotavate or dig to a depth of approximately 4 inches.
Rake thoroughly. Remove any further debris and hard soil lumps
which could cause air pockets and prevent simultaneous rooting
of the grass rolls.
Where there is insufficient soil to
achieve correct levels it may be
necessary to purchase
turfing soil.
Never be tempted to economise at
the expense of top soil. A good
quality topsoil is literally the
underlying essential element
of a healthy lawn.
 Rake to a fine tilth and carefully tread the soil to level the area to help
compact the ground and make it
even.
If required, you can now mark out
the area to be turfed.
For flowing
circular shapes you can even use
a hosepipe to help achieve this.
 Try
to avoid laying
lawn turf when
the ground is
hard and frosty
or when weather
conditions are
extremely hot
and dry.
Add
pre turf fertiliser and rake into the soil.
Gently roll the site
if required.
The area is now
prepared and ready to
receive the turf.
Grass Rolls
 It is important to remember that turf is a perishable product and should be laid as soon as possible after delivery.
Prevailing weather conditions will determine how long
the grass rolls will keep.
If
it is not possible to lay the
lawn turf on the day it has been
delivered, the grass rolls are
best left uncovered as near to the area to be turfed as possible.
Do not water the turf whilst it is in rolls, if in doubt
contact
your supplier.
Laying Lawn Turf
Using a scaffold board or similar as a straight edge and a firm base to work from,
lightly rake the soil where the
turf is to be laid, drawing the
rake toward you.
 To
lay the first row of
lawn turf,
unroll the grass rolls gently
and ease into position.
When
laying the second row of
turf, come in half a
turf to stagger the joints of
the lawn rolls.
Once
at the end of this row there
will be half a turf over, this
can be cut off and used at the
beginning of the next row.
Butt the edges
of the lawn rolls as close as possible.
The overall effect is like brickwork, with the joints of the turf staggered.
Watering
Water the turf immediately after laying.
A gallon of water in the first hour after
the lawn rolls are laid is better than 5 gallons three hours later.
In dry weather it will be necessary to water the new turf lawn twice daily, ideally early morning and late evening.
Be careful not to overwater as this could cause consolidation of the soil, giving rise to water pockets
which can rot delicate grass roots. A common sign of
overwatering is browning around the joints of the
grass rolls.
If this occurs, simply roll the lawn both ways and reduce water application.
Encourage children and pets to
stay off the new lawn to allow
lawn rolls to establish and knit together.
Mowing a new turf lawn
Ideally, a new turf lawn should not be mowed until good root growth is established.
To check, try turning back one of the corners of the lawn rolls. When it
resists and is firmly attached to the soil,
root growth has been established.
It is advisable to have the lawn mower
blades locked at the highest
setting initially so as to just top the grass. The height of the blades can be lowered slightly for each subsequent cut until the desired
grass height is reached.
Note: Only very fine grasses such as a lawn turf made up from bents and fescues
will tolerate very close mowing.
For a normal lawn grass turf mix, a height of between 0.25" and 1"
is recommended.
Once
the new lawn grass has established,
endeavour to get into the habit of
regular mowing and do not allow
the grass to get too long. Lengthy grass prevents the light
from reaching the base, the common cause of a bare patchy yellow lawn.
Lawn Care: Weed Prevention
The best weed prevention is a
healthy vigorous growth of lawn
grass which can be achieved by
simple lawn care: regular mowing
and lawn feeding. It is
important to use the correct
application of lawn feed at the
correct time, spring feeding in
the spring and autumn feeding in
the autumn.
Should weeds become a problem
they are best treated in the
spring when there is natural
moisture in the ground, and when
the weeds are at a stage of
growth.
A combined weed treatment/fertiliser encourages a healthy growth of grass which
will minimise weed infestation.
Lawn Care:
Feeding your turf lawn
The
top growth of your lawn
grass takes place during spring and early summer therefore this is an ideal time to dress the lawn with an application of a
nitrogen rich fertiliser.
Lawn dressing will keep your
lawn grass in good colour, but the
downside is that it will encourage
the grass to grow thus you need to keep on top of the mowing.
During late autumn and winter the root structure of your lawn is being built up, so a
complete fertiliser applied in early autumn will aid this process and thus ensure a good spring growth.
Please contact Rainford Turf
Supplies on 01695 50792 for
questions, more information
about laying a new turf lawn, or
you wish to buy lawn turf or
quality topsoil for your garden.
Our turf is cut fresh from our
own turf farm and next day UK
deliveries are available. |
01695 50792
