Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash
Good preparation of the soil before ordering your turf is important for the health and growth of your new lawn.
Allow adequate time to do a Ph soil test and for the result to come through. Eliminate weeds and unwanted grass in the area by using round-up – this might need more than one application to kill off the area completely – or by tilling the soil thoroughly.
Calculate the area you intend to grass – there are calculators online that will assist you in determining square meter requirements. Make sure you adjust the gradients of the area away from the building’s foundations and fill any low lying areas that might cause the water to pool.
The existing soil should then be tilled to a depth of around 8 cm or more and any rocks or large stones removed. Follow the Ph guidelines to upgrade your soil in accordance with the recommendations given and then compact the soil to straighten out any humps or hollows.
At this point, if necessary, bring in topsoil and cover the area to achieve a total depth of 10-15cm. Settle the topsoil by lightly rolling it or using the back of a rake, the soil must be loose enough for the grass to root into readily. You should now have an ideal surface for your new lawn.
Water the soil thoroughly the evening before you intend to lay the turf.
Schedule your order for the delivery of your turf for the day you intend to lay it. Same-day installation is imperative to the success of establishing your lawn. Another important factor to take into consideration is choosing the correct grass type for your conditions.
Choose a straight line from which to work – a garden wall or pathway – and lay the rolls of turf as though they were carpet tiles. Use a sharp trowel or knife to cut the rolls and stagger the joints as a bricklayer would. Butt all joints firmly together and fill out any spaces between the strips with left-over pieces of turf, pushing the roots down firmly. Cut to fit around trees and flower beds and never lay one part of the turf over another.
Water each area thoroughly starting around 20 minutes after the first strip is laid.
Finally, roll the turf to smooth out any bumps or air-pockets allowing the roots good contact with the soil.
Because your new lawn has not established its root system into the soil it will require watering at least twice a day for the first two weeks, and up to four times a day in really hot summer conditions. The principle is to keep the lawn wet during the period of establishment but deep, penetrating watering is not necessary. Obviously, in cool rainy weather, there may be no need to water at all.
Keep monitoring the health of your lawn for the first few weeks – if there are any brown patches, water those more frequently. After a month to six weeks the grass should be well-established and the frequency of watering can be reduced.
Now sit back and enjoy the enhancement rich, healthy turf adds to your garden.